Suffer The Children
by EM79
Summary: Sequel to Fix You. Sam and Jo find their relationship tested as a face from the past threatens the foundations of their newly formed family and tragedy strikes during a rescue attempt. Epilogue now uploaded which completes this lengthy tale!
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, except for Joey Nixon, and I don't intend making any profit from them - just taking them out for a little while before returning them to The Bill - heck Jo's got six months before she's back filming again! lol_**

**_Warning: Sequel to Fix You - probably wise to read that first or much of this won't make sense to you. Involves an established Sam/Jo relationship with consensual ff sexual content. If that ain't your thing or it's illegal wherever you are, now is the time to bail out._**

**Suffer The Children**

Abi stood watching her three month old son as he slept, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he woke once again and was demanding her attention. Unfolding the paper she clenched in her fist, her eyes swam with tears as she read the short note. Her mind was in turmoil; should she tell her mum, even though it would cause her unbearable pain? Could she talk to Jo, someone less directly involved but pivotal in their lives? Would it be better if she kept it to herself, dealt with it quietly in the hope it would go away? So many questions were buzzing around her mind as she descended the stairs, she never saw Jo until she walked into her in the hallway.

"Morning Abi, you look like a zombie. Joey been up all night again?" Jo wrapped one arm around her lover's daughter, herself weary from the nightshift but concerned for Abi who had become markedly withdrawn in recent days – ever since receiving a mysterious letter.

"He's not been too bad, just a bit chesty. How was your night?" Abi made small talk as Jo flicked the switch on the kettle, preparing two mugs without asking Abi if she wanted one, used to their morning routine whenever Jo worked at night.

"Pretty quiet really. At least it gave me a chance to catch up on some paperwork. Sam never told me that becoming a sergeant meant that aspect of the job doubled!"

"You know Mum, perfect sales pitch to distract you from the realities." Abi smiled somewhat half-heartedly. She thanked Jo as the brunette handed over a steaming mug of tea before following her through to the lounge, hoping that her nerve would hold. She needed to talk to someone, she just hoped that she was making the right decision.

"Penny for them." Jo beckoned for Abi to take a seat on the couch next to her, sensing that there was something she wanted to share with her.

"That letter I got the other day… it was from Hugh." Abi faltered, looking at Jo to gauge her reaction.

"Hugh? As in Hugh Wallis, Hugh?" Abi nodded, eyes downcast, afraid now there was no going back. "What did he want? Does your mum know?" Jo placed a hand on top of Abi's squeezing it gently in a gesture of support, glad that Abi felt she could turn to her at what seemed to be a difficult time.

"He wants to see his son, he sent me a visiting order. I can't tell Mum, not after what he did to us. I can't let him destroy what we've worked so hard to build up; the trust, the friendship. It'd kill her if he came back into our lives. But he has a right to see his own son, doesn't he?" Abi plaintively asked, sounding like the frightened, vulnerable teenager she really was, so worldly-wise in many respects and yet painfully naïve in others.

"Abi, sweetheart, no one in their right mind is going to force you to see Hugh again or force you to let him see Joey. He sacrificed his rights when he abducted you, drugged you and brainwashed you whilst playing mind games with your mother." Jo tried hard not to let her bitterness echo in her words, remembering her first months at Sun Hill and how Sam had suffered. The two women hadn't been close in those days, Sam regarding Jo as an outsider encroaching on her turf, but still it pained Jo to remember how the woman she had grown to adore had been made to suffer so cruelly. "It has to be your decision, about taking Joey to see Hugh and about telling your mum, but ask yourself how Sam would feel if she found out you'd heard from him and not told her. You've worked hard at re-building one another's trust – trust your mum to do what's best for you and to be there. She's stronger now than she was then, your bond is so much deeper…"

"And we have you." Abi interrupted, a genuine tender smile on her face as she looked at the woman beside her.

"Yes you do. I'd like to think that family life for you both is more stable than it was last time you were involved with Hugh. He didn't strike me as the type of man who'd take no for an answer, at least not lying down. Chances are Sam will find out sooner or later, don't you think it'd be best if she heard it from you?"

"I know in my heart you're right but it's like there's this part of me that can't tell her. A few years ago, I'd have told her just to hurt her but I can't bring myself to think of causing her pain now. Not after everything she did to get me back safe, no matter what I said to her or how much I told her I hated her, she kept at it to bring me home. Even when everyone else thought she was going mad blaming Hugh for abducting me, claiming he was brainwashing me, drugging me, she still wouldn't give up – even if it cost her her job, the one thing I thought meant more to her than anything, including me. It made me see the bigger picture, made me grow up a lot."

"Life has a way of teaching us hard lessons, the lucky ones learn, the not so fortunate keep on making the same mistakes over and over. Be lucky, listen to your heart and let it guide you. If it feels right to talk to Sam, tell her. If not, wait until a time when it does. But if you are going to tell her, wait until tonight yeah? It's not really the kind of thing you want to drop on her just as she's on the way out of the door to work. Whatever you decide to do, you know you can always talk to me yeah?" Jo wrapped up the conversation as she heard Sam beginning to move about upstairs, wondering how she was going to keep this secret from her lover if Abi decided not to share her news with her mum.

"Thanks Jo. I bet you'd make a brilliant mum, you're so patient and laid-back." Abi wrapped her arms around the brunette, expressing her gratitude in the crushing embrace.

"Trust me, if you'd been my daughter, I'd have ripped Hugh Wallis's head from his shoulders and shoved it where the sun never shone, with his balls following for good measure!" Abi guffawed with laughter at the mental imagery that conjured up, marvelling at Jo's turn of phrase and her ability to disarm a situation, no matter how serious. Unwrapping herself from Abi's arms, Jo dropped a fond kiss on the top of her head before heading upstairs to bed, hoping to grab a few moments with Sam before she had to leave for her shift.

"Morning gorgeous. Tough night?" Sam pulled her fiancée into a warm hug as the sergeant entered their bedroom, shivering as their bodies collided, still a victim of lust every time they touched. Tilting her head up towards Jo's, Sam captured the brunette's luscious lips with her own, hating more than ever the incompatibility in their shifts and wishing she could head back to bed with her lover.

As she drew back for breath, Jo answered, "it was a slow night actually. Plenty of paperwork done and too much time to think about how I could be here with you, doing this and more. I came up with some very interesting scenarios for punishing you for not warning me about the less glamorous side of becoming sergeant by the way. Are you sure you have to go in today?" Jo let her hand wander over Sam's body, resting on her buttock, caressing it lightly, knowing that it would cause a reaction having spent the three months since she'd left the hospital intimately familiarising herself with Sam's most sensitive spots.

"Jo, I'm the DI, I can't just take a day off when I feel like it – and believe me I feel like; I _really_ feel like it!" Sam squirmed in Jo's arms, knowing if she didn't make a break for it soon, she would be late for work but reluctant to leave the embrace.

"Hmm so I see." Sam gasped as Jo's hand found its way into her knickers, her fingers immediately coated in Sam's slick juices as she sought out and located the blonde's sensitive nub.

"Ungh. Did I ever tell you you're a very bad influence?" Sam gripped Jo's shoulder with one hand, needing to support her weight as her knees threatened to buckle.

"Is that so?" Jo punctuated each word by milking Sam's clit, tugging on it gently and squeezing it between her fingers, revelling in her lover's reaction. "Want me to tell you about how I imagined punishing you?" Jo built up a steady rhythm, one hand buried deep within Sam's core, the other wrapped around her waist helping to support her weight.

"Oh God, Jo, no! I really should be getting ready for work. Besides, you're off work for the next 48 hours, we can make up for lost time tonight." Sam's protestations were half-hearted as she rode Jo's hand, throwing her head back as Jo's thumb began a steady motion on her taut bundle of nerves. Jo leaned forward, suckling on the hollow at the base of Sam's throat, caressing it with her tongue, matching the motion of her thumb. She felt Sam's muscles flutter against her fingers as the first gentle waves of her orgasm began, intensifying as Jo increased the pressure on Sam's sensitive nub.

"Come on sweetie, let it go. I've got you, I won't let you fall." As Jo whispered in Sam's ear, taking her lobe between her teeth and toying with it, Sam cried out, muffling the sound by burying her head in Jo's shoulder, wave after wave of pleasure ripping through her body. Jo stilled her hand as Sam leant panting against her, so close to her own release, knowing it wouldn't take much attention from Sam to send her crashing over the edge.

Recovering some of her motor functions, Sam realised that Jo must be in need of some assistance if her heavy lidded gaze and almost black pupils were anything to go by. "Shall we move this to the shower? That way I have a hope of still getting to work somewhere near on time." Sam led the charge into the en-suite bathroom, stripping out of her nightclothes and turning on the shower to let the water warm up. Jo shed her own clothing, still a little self-conscious of her body since Mark's attack; the long scar across her chest fading but a constant reminder all the same. Sam gazed at her naked lover a renewed hunger burning within her, finding something new to adore each time she took in the sight of Jo's magnificent body. Pulling her into the narrow shower cubicle, Sam wasted no time in turning her attention to Jo's needs, drawing her close and kissing every available inch of skin, concentrating on Jo's hypersensitive nipples one at a time. She ran her hand down over Jo's stomach, following the path of the water cascading over them from the showerhead, finding a delightful new wetness between Jo's thighs. As she worked on each nipple in turn with her mouth, three of her fingers deftly entered the taller woman, thumb repeatedly grazing Jo's already twitching clit, sending her spiralling into oblivion.

Sam tucked the duvet up around Jo's chin, the brunette stifling a yawn as her run of long nights beckoned her into the land of dreams. Kissing her gently, Sam wished her sweet dreams before dashing down the stairs, planting a quick peck on Abi's cheek and the head of her now wide awake grandson and heading out of the door for another day at the office, little knowing it could be a day to change her life.


	2. Chapter 2

"What's all this in aid of?" Sam asked as she walked through the door to find Jo and Abi laying the dining table, scents of cooking filling the house. Normal nights in were spent dining on lap-trays in front of the TV or a DVD.

"I'll check on the veggies." Jo made herself scarce, gently squeezing Abi's arm as she walked by her, offering what moral support she could.

Abi took a deep breath, willing her nerve to hold. "I wanted to talk to you about something, I thought we could discuss it over dinner, the three of us, like a proper family. That's what we are, isn't it? You, me and Jo. And I thought it was time I showed you how much I appreciate everything you've done for me – to say thank you for never giving up on me."

Sam felt Abi's forehead, convinced that she must be running a fever, frowning when there wasn't even the vaguest hint of a raised temperature. "What's going on?"

"Why don't you get changed? The food's going to be ready in ten minutes or so. I'd rather we were all sitting down together before we talk about it." Abi back-pedalled, stalling for time, wishing Jo hadn't insisted on leaving the room. Jo overheard the discussion from the kitchen, realising that all was not going well so making a move back towards the dining room, hoping to avert a disaster.

"Abi, just tell me… please!"

"Mum please, I will just let's all sit down and eat first." Abi pleadingly looked to Jo as the brunette walked back in the room.

"Come on Sam, let's go upstairs for a few minutes, give Abi a moment to gather her thoughts." Jo placed a hand at Sam's elbow, aiming to guide her out of the dining room.

"I take it you know what it is she wants to talk about?" Sam rounded on her lover, lashing out in her fear that something was terribly wrong with her daughter.

"Yes I do but trying to force her to tell you when she's not ready isn't going to help. Now will you come with me willingly or do I have to throw you over my shoulder like I'm a caveman?" Jo attempted to lighten the tension in the room, never having been comfortable with confrontation.

"Why can you tell Jo but not me, your own mother?" Sam was focussed once again on her daughter, tears pricking her eyes, old insecurities re-surfacing. "I thought we'd got past this, I thought we could talk about anything now."

"Oh Mum, we have and we can. Like Jo said, I just need a few minutes to gather my thoughts. I don't want it to come out wrong, for you to get the wrong end of the stick."

"Is it something to do with your health? Are you sick? Joey's ok isn't he? He's not ill or something? Abi please, you're scaring me." Jo placed an arm around Sam's waist, ignoring attempts to shrug her off and drawing the frantic woman to her.

"Let's sit down. Dinner can wait. This can't." Jo, as ever, sounded the voice of reason, leading Sam through to the lounge and pulling her down onto the sofa beside her as Abi perched in the arm chair, leaning forward angled towards the two older women.

"Mum, a couple of days ago I got a letter… from Hugh." Abi looked intently at her mother trying to gauge her reaction, unnerved by the detached mask that settled across her normally expressive features. Falteringly, she continued, "he sent me a visiting order, saying that he wants to see his child, that as my baby's father he has a right to access. He's threatened to take me to court if I don't take Joey to see him." Abi stood as Sam rose from her seat, walking out of the room, blanking her daughter and lover. "Mum, please…" Jo held Abi back as she went to follow Sam.

"Give her a few minutes to take it in. It can't be easy hearing that the man who caused you so much pain and grief has come back again, not when you thought he was gone for good." Abi let herself be held by Jo, memories of that dark period of her life washing over her like a thunderstorm rolling overhead.

Ten minutes passed with still no sign of Sam re-appearing. Abi sat in the lounge chewing her lip and staring into space, seemingly consumed by her memories. Jo silently climbed the stairs, hoping Sam was ok. She passed the nursery, pausing as she saw her lover standing over the cot gazing down at her grandson.

Entering the room, she crossed to Sam's side. "Want to talk about it?" Jo whispered, conscious of not waking her slumbering namesake. Sam turned on her heel without acknowledging Jo's question, seemingly oblivious to the brunette following in her wake as she entered her bedroom.

"How could you keep something like that from me? How long have you known? I suppose she told you as soon as the letter arrived. Maybe you're in a relationship with the wrong woman, you seem so close to _my_ _daughter_." Sam verbally lashed out, hurting so much from her memories and wanting someone – anyone - else to feel even the tiniest amount of her pain.

"Abi talked to me about the letter this morning when I got back from work…" Jo began only to be cut off by an irate blonde.

"So you thought instead of telling me about it, you'd come up here for a quick shag instead? You're just like every man I've ever known, only interested in getting your leg over. When it comes to the real issues, you're about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike." Sam turned away from Jo, knowing she was being unfair but unable to check her emotions enough to stop.

"I talked to Abi, advised her to tell you, that it would be better coming from her rather than you hearing it from anyone else, me included. Maybe I was wrong but I asked her to wait until tonight. I didn't think you needed that on your mind at work, not with everything else going on there at the moment. But everything I did, I honestly thought I was doing in your best interests." Jo continued what she had been saying, deciding it was best to ignore Sam's outburst, putting it down to emotional stress.

"I can't even look at my own grandson now and get any joy from it. He's taken even that happiness from me. All I could see when I looked at him was his father, the twisted, psychotic predator who created him." Sam murmured quietly, wondering when, if ever, Hugh's hold over her would be released.

"He's the same child he was this morning, sweetheart. Don't let him destroy the family you've strived so hard to keep together. Joey is your grandson, Abi's flesh and blood. Your daughter is sitting downstairs right now probably thinking she's done something wrong. She needs you to reassure her that it's ok to be scared and confused about what to do. She needs you to be her mum, Sam." Jo implored Sam to talk to Abi. Hearing Joey start whimpering, Jo made a move to leave, calling over her shoulder, "I'll see to him, go talk to Abi."

Abi heard Jo talking quietly to Joey, humming a lullaby to soothe him. She looked at Sam, an awkward silence stretching endlessly between them.

"Are you going to go and see him?" Sam voiced the first of the questions giving her cause for concern.

"Yes." Abi braced herself for the onslaught of damnation.

"Are you taking Joey with you?" Sam's voice was strained as she held back the torrent of objections.

"Yes."

"In that case, there's really nothing more to talk about is there?" Sam turned to go, fearing that if she stayed any longer, her fears would ruin the relationship she had worked so hard at building up between herself and Abi.

"Mum, please, I need to know you'll be here for me. I'm not asking you to agree with my decision, just trust me to know what I'm trying to do. I'm visiting him this once, giving him what he wants and making it clear that I never want to see or hear from him ever again. I won't have him being part of Joey's life."

"Abi, you're my daughter. I'll always be here for you." Sam folded Abi into her arms, pouring every ounce of maternal affection into the embrace.

"We sure know how to pick them, don't we? My dad was a convicted rapist, Joey's dad is a sadistic sociopath. At least you've found a good one in Jo." Sam heard the wistful tone in her daughter's voice, wondering if Abi was finding being a single parent harder than she had been letting on.

"She still lied to me." Sam stubbornly refused to forgive Jo for not telling her about the letter as soon as she knew.

"She didn't lie, she just tried to do what was best for us all. I'm glad she made me tell you myself. Don't blame her for this, it's not really her you're angry at and you know it. Only Jo's too devoted to you to push back, she'll just sit back and take whatever you throw at her. Don't let him drive a wedge between you two, she's too good, what you share is too special to let it slip away." Abi turned the tables on her mother, sagely offering words of wisdom.

Sam felt the icy hand that had been squeezing her heart since Abi's announcement thaw a little, knowing that she had some ground to make up with Jo after her earlier attack. "How did you become so wise for one so young?"

"I had the best teacher." Abi smiled at her mother, glad that for the time being at least, the storm had settled.

Sam found Jo in the nursery, cradling Joey in her arms as she sat in the nursing chair Abi had installed, letting her mind drift in the dark room, lit only by the fading natural daylight spilling through the thin curtains.

"You're a natural." She attempted to break the ice, hoping that Jo was not the kind of person to hold a grudge.

"Maybe in another lifetime it would have happened." Jo shrugged off the comment, trying to ignore how broody she had become since Joey's arrival. She knew she had plenty to be thankful for; a recent promotion to Detective Sergeant without the upheaval of starting over at a new station and a loving relationship with a woman she thought the world of. Even with Sam's promise to marry her, Jo couldn't help but feel that there was something missing, feeling an increasing need to pass on her genes to another generation.

"It's not too late to consider it; if it's what you really wanted, there are ways we could try." Sam couldn't believe that after their disagreement earlier she was suggesting that she and Jo have a baby together.

"Don't Sam. You don't have to buy my forgiveness with promises we both know you mightn't be able to keep. I'm not even angry or upset with you, I should have realised you needed Abi to tell you straight away." Jo stood, laying Joey gently back in his cot, sure that he was fast asleep and wouldn't be disturbed by the change of location.

"I'm not saying it because I want you to forgive me. Jo, sweetheart, I want you to be happy, to feel like you have everything you could ever wish for. Can you honestly say that's the case at the moment? I've seen the way you look at him. And I know you were only doing what you thought was best for both me and Abi. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you, it's not even like I was angry with you. I just feel like I'm stuck in some sort of groundhog day. As soon as something in life starts going right, something else crops up to spoil it." Sam approached Jo, not looking into the cot for fear of seeing Hugh there in the tiny human form slumbering soundly, oblivious to the hushed conversation going on around him.

"It's ok, Sam. Like I told Abi this morning, if she'd been my daughter, I'd have ripped Hugh to pieces for what he did to her. We all say things when we're upset that we regret afterwards." Jo wrapped the smaller woman in her arms, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, breathing in the familiar sweet scent that was her essence.

"You didn't answer my question. Are you happy?" Sam looked up into Jo's blue eyes, feeling herself drowning in their depth.

"Yes, happier than I thought I'd ever be." Jo answered honestly, wishing circumstances were different but knowing the time was not right to consider bringing another child into the house.

"But having a child of your own, would that make you even happier?" Sam pushed the point, sensing Jo was holding back.

"Maybe one day, when the time's right." Jo admitted, pulling away from Sam and turning to look out of the window onto the darkening street. "But that doesn't mean it can happen, or that the time will ever be right."

Abi appeared in the doorway suddenly, having been concerned when she heard no sounds from her son in a while.

"Sorry to interrupt. I just thought I'd better check on Joey – I see I needn't have worried, he's been in safe hands. So are we going to eat this dinner Jo and I spent all afternoon preparing then before it's completely ruined?" Abi seemed oblivious to the conversation she had cut short. As Jo agreed with forced cheerfulness, Sam determined to complete the discussion later, wondering why Jo had such reservations that she would find a time when she felt it right to become a mother.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I can take a few hours leave and let them cope without me for a while if you want?" Sam fussed as she prepared to leave for work, worried about her daughter's impending visit to Long Marsh prison that day.

"Mum, stop worrying. We'll be fine. He's hardly able to do anything to me, he's in prison, watched constantly and we'll be surrounded by plenty of other people in case it gets out of hand." Abi's insides were a mass of squirming nerves, her mother's anxiety doing little to ease her own misgivings about agreeing to visit Hugh with Joey. Jo joined the two women by the front door, kissing her lover.

"I've got to dash, I don't want to be late, the new DI's a real dragon!" Jo grinned, wishing Abi luck and hugging her before dashing out of the door aided by a hefty clout on her backside from Sam, pointedly looking at her watch as she waited for Sam to join her.

"Call me as soon as you get out ok? I want to know how you get on. I don't care if I'm in a meeting with the Chief Superintendent or even the Queen, I'll have my phone on and be available to take your call." Abi nodded waving to Jo as Sam finally made it out to the car.

"She'll be fine Sam, she is your daughter after all." Jo reassured her lover as she manoeuvred the car they shared away from the house.

"Where that man is concerned, I'll never believe my daughter will be fine in his company. The sooner we can put this whole thing behind us the better in my opinion. I'm going to be on edge all day until I hear from her." Sam spoke honestly, watching her lover's profile as the brunette concentrated on negotiating the morning traffic. "You can't tell me that you won't be even the slightest bit concerned for Abi, knowing what he put her through."

Glancing across at her partner, Jo acknowledged, "of course I'll be concerned. But at the end of the day, Abi's old enough to make her own way in life now and I think she needs to do this so that she can move on."

"I know, you're right but it won't stop me from worrying. I can't help it, she'll always be my baby." Sam watched a shadow flicker across Jo's face at her choice of phrase. "You know we never did finish that discussion about your feelings on having children."

"No we didn't." Jo's tone made it clear that neither were they about to resurrect the issue.

"Why are you so determined not to talk about it?" Sam twisted in her seat, knowing that in a few minutes they would be arriving at the station and all hope of getting Jo to open up would be lost for hours.

"Why are you so determined to make me talk about it? What more is there to talk about? I answered your questions didn't I? Yes I'd like a child of my own, but as I said, when the time's right. Right now we have Abi and Joey to consider, both of them need your undivided attention. How do you think Abi would feel about having another baby in the house taking up your time? She is still adjusting to becoming a mother, she needs your support, not for you to be tied up with another child. And how strange would it be having a grandchild older than your son or daughter?" Jo sounded the horn at a driver who pulled out in front of her, muttering under her breath a string of curses.

"Is that really what bothers you, how it'll affect Abi?" Sam frowned, gripping the door handle as they took the corner into the parking area too fast, Jo seemingly in a hurry to get out of the car and away from the interrogation.

"I just said so, didn't I?" The brunette sergeant yanked on the handbrake and unbuckled her seatbelt, scurrying off into the building sporting an uneasy expression, leaving a bewildered Sam in her wake.

"Abi, good to see you." Hugh beckoned for the mother of his son to take a seat opposite him. "How have you been? Aren't you going to introduce us?" The older man reached out and ran a finger down his son's cheek, the young baby grizzling slightly at the intrusion.

"Let's get one thing straight Hugh. I'm only here to tell you to leave me alone. This is your son, take a good look at him because he won't be coming here again. You can't bully me any more, I'm not falling for your games again. No matter what you say about my mother, she is a good person and loves me unconditionally. When I think of what I put her through, what you made me put her through, it makes me sick." Abi sat rigidly in the plastic seat across the table from her abductor, refusing to meet his eyes for fear she would be drawn in once again.

"Abi, please, look at me. I'm not trying to make trouble for you. I just want to be given a chance to know my son. I've had treatment in here, I wasn't well when I did what I did. I'm not that person now. Remember how it felt when your mum refused to tell you anything about your father. Do you really want to inflict that same pain on our son? Must the children always suffer for their parents mistakes?" Abi attempted to block out the memories his words stirred within her, knowing in her heart that he was toying with her but unable to forget how much it had hurt her that her mother wouldn't reveal the identity of her father. "I'm not asking you to bring him every week, or even every month but just once in a while, if I send a visiting order, would you consider letting me see him? What have you called him?"

"Joseph Phillip Nixon." The young blonde ignored his previous question, choosing to answer only those he could not manipulate the answers for.

"Phillip? After DS Hunter I presume? Has he finally won Samantha over then?" Hugh tried to pass off his enquiry as nonchalant but there was an edge to his voice which did not go unnoticed by Abi.

"I always liked the name Phillip. My mother's love life is nothing to do with you," she answered bitterly.

"I'll take that as a yes then. He always was persistent, you have to give him that." Hugh continued digging for information, trying to wheedle Abi into letting more slip than she wanted to.

"Take it how you like." Feigning boredom, Abi shifted Joey in her arms, hoisting him up to look over her shoulder as he started to become restless, the unfamiliar environment unsettling him.

"And what about you? Is there another father figure in Joseph's life? Is that why you're reluctant to bring him here to see me? Afraid of upsetting the apple cart with a new boyfriend?"

"I don't want to bring him here because a prison is no place for a baby."

"Well that might not be a problem for too much longer. I've decided to appeal against my sentence. I've been talking to my lawyer and he feels that it was too harsh, given the circumstantial evidence against me was flimsy at best. He thinks I stand a good chance of reducing it by half at least, possibly even more with my good behaviour taken into account. I'll be sorry to leave in some respects, I've made some very interesting friends in here. It's been an enlightening experience." Hugh's words chilled Abi to the bone as it became abundantly clear why she had been asked to the prison. The psychologist was less interested in his son than he was in making sure news of his appeal reached Sam via her daughter. She couldn't believe that even now this man was still so hell-bent on making her mother's life a misery that he would consider using her own daughter again to score a cheap hit. The bell sounded for the end of visiting time, releasing Abi from her nightmare. She stood without wishing Hugh farewell, ignoring his requests to visit again soon. Once outside of the prison gates, Abi wandered to the nearest café, needing to sit down and calm her mind before phoning her mother.

"DI Nixon." Sam answered her phone, too busy to look at who was calling before accepting the call.

"Hi Mum, it's me." Abi tried to mask the nervousness in her voice, forcing a bright tone into the greeting.

"Abi, sweetheart, are you ok? How did you get on? Is he going to leave you alone now?" Sam closed her office door, glancing at Jo's desk as she did so, wondering where the DS had managed to hide all morning not having seen her since they had left the car.

"I'm fine Mum. I told him I wasn't going to take Joey to see him in prison again. I'm…coffee before I…back."

"How did he take it? Where are you sweetheart? The reception's terrible." Sam struggled to make out her daughter's words over the background noise.

"Mum…lawyer said…too harsh…appealing the sentence." The signal on the line kept breaking up interrupting what Abi was saying.

"Abi, tell me you didn't just say that Hugh Wallis is launching an appeal? Abi, are you still there? Hang up, I'll call you back, see if I can get a better line." Sam heard the line go dead, hoping that Abi had caught what she said. She dialled the number back straight away, growling with frustration at the unobtainable signal she received. Striding out from behind her desk, she sought to find Jo, knowing that despite their earlier dispute, the buxom brunette would want to know Abi had phoned.

"Ramani, have you seen Jo?" Sam fidgeted as she waited for the sergeant to answer, looking around the office as though Jo might appear from thin air if she looked hard enough.

"Not for half an hour or so. I think she's interviewing a suspect in that burglary case she's working on." Ramani answered, adding, "anything I can help you with Guv?"

"No thanks, Ramani." Without further elaboration, Sam left CID, checking with the duty sergeant which interview room Jo was in before knocking and poking her head around the door. "Can I have a word DS Masters?"

"DS Masters leaving the room. Interview suspended at 11.36am." Jo switched off the tape gesturing for Mickey to remain where he was. "Excuse me for a moment." Once outside the room, Jo took in Sam's nervous energy and guessed that she had heard from her daughter. "What's the news?"

"I think Hugh's planning on appealing his sentence. Abi's phone cut out when she was telling me, the signal kept breaking up but I'm sure that's what she was trying to say. I can't get hold of her to confirm it. Will you help me look into his case? Make sure he doesn't get out any earlier?" Jo caught Sam's hands in her own, all thoughts of their earlier hostility vanishing instantly.

"If that is the case, if he is appealing, you and I looking into it is only likely to backfire. Leave it to the lawyers, that's what they're paid for. Digging around now only runs the risk of making it look like you have something to worry about." Jo spoke softly, gazing earnestly at the woman who meant so much to her and yet infuriated her frequently.

"Maybe if I do, but if you were to do the digging… You weren't involved in the case first time round."

"But I am now. I'm engaged to you, I live with the chief complainant and the young girl who's abduction he's charged with. That makes me very much involved." Jo halted Sam as she turned to go, a sullen expression on her face and a look of determination which suggested she would find a willing volunteer somehow. "Sam, it's not that I don't want to, you know that don't you? But we don't want him winning on a technicality. Promise me you won't do anything rash, please? Trust that justice works." Jo wished she could take her partner into her arms, uneasy still about showing affection in plain view of their colleagues despite the vast majority knowing about and accepting their relationship.

A sudden rush of activity passing them brought an end to any mental debate Jo was conducting.

"Ah DI Nixon, there you are. There've been reports of an explosion close to Long Marsh prison. It's all hands on decks, we've all been summoned to show our faces and keep the ambulance chasers at bay." Gina chivvied uniformed officers towards the waiting vans and cars as Sam exchanged a look with Jo, not needing any words to express her worst fears.

"Call Abi, get her on the phone now!" Sam's face fell as an automated voice informed her that the number she was trying to contact was unobtainable.


	4. Chapter 4

Jo and Sam surveyed the carnage and devastation wrought by the explosion, trying to catch a glimpse of anyone resembling Abi amongst the walking wounded whilst still having to appear to be detached from the scene unfolding before them.

"The focus of the blast was across the road from the café. According to witnesses a car parked in the bus stop about half an hour ago, which then exploded. At this stage it's difficult to tell what the intended target was – could be the prison or it could just be someone wanting to put the fear of God into your average Joe on the high street. We've quite a few walking wounded from the café and from the shops plus some more seriously injured people from the immediate area surrounding the blast and there's a young lady asking for you, DI Nixon. She's on her way to hospital now with some fairly serious looking lacerations to her head, arms and legs. She's barely conscious but kept asking for you and asking where Joey was, does that mean anything to you?" Will Fletcher looked to Sam for clarification as the DI's face paled visibly.

"Abi, my daughter, she was in this area today. Her son, Joey, he's three months old, have you found him?" Sam stuttered out, nausea rising from the pit of her stomach. Not caring who saw, in spite of their decision to refrain from openly showing affection at work, she turned to Jo for support leaning against the taller woman, fearing the young officer's response.

"No sign of any baby yet Guv. I'll get them onto looking for him straight away." He scurried off as though someone had lit a fire underneath him, being fairly new to Sun Hill and not wishing to bear the brunt of a DI's wrath for failing to act appropriately. Jo pulled her lover to her in the wake of the constable's revelation, feeling Sam sag against her as the prospect of losing her only grandchild hit home.

"Do you want me to stay here and wait for news on Joey while you go to Abi at the hospital?" She knew it was unlikely that Sam would leave but voiced the offer anyway.

"I can't leave without knowing if he's ok. Abi will want to know, I can't turn up at the hospital without being able to tell her what's happened to her son." Jo absent-mindedly dropped a kiss onto Sam's head aware of the stares their embrace was drawing but too concerned with Sam's welfare to care.

"Sam, I know it's difficult, but the team need you to take charge. At the moment, you're the most superior officer here, they'll look to you for guidance and to organise them." Jo prompted her lover gently, hoping that giving Sam something tangible she could concentrate on might temporarily push aside her fear. "Wherever Joey is we'll find him, you know we will." Sam nodded, pulling away from the comfort of Jo's embrace even though every instinct was telling her to bury her head in the ample chest of her fiancée and block out the world.

* * *

The search through the wreckage of the café and surrounding shops continued with more casualties being ferried to the hospital and the officers' job made all the more difficult by the arrival of both the local and national press.

Gina approached Sam who was busy taking a statement from one witness who'd had the good sense to drop to the ground behind a brick wall as soon as the car exploded. "DI Nixon, can I borrow you for a moment?" The older woman led Sam away from her witness and from the hovering reporters. "We've found a pushchair by the fire doors at the back of the café but still no sign of a baby anywhere. You're sure Abi had Joey with her?" Gina questioned the DI carefully.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure. She was visiting Hugh in Longmarsh, he wanted to see his son. She phoned me after coming out, said something about having coffee before heading home. The line was bad, I said I'd call her back but there was no reception, I couldn't get through to her. Show me where the pushchair is, I can tell you if it's Abi's." Gina nodded, ushering the distraught blonde inspector round to the back of the building where the pair met Jo exiting the rear of the café.

"Have you seen it, is it Abi's?" Sam immediately pounced on her partner, not sure she would have the strength to look at the pushchair if it were damaged.

"Yeah…yeah it's Abi's, her mobile's still in the handbag hung over the back of it." Jo bit her bottom lip, wondering if Sam realised what the implications were of finding the pushchair alone, away from the main body of the building.

"Is it badly damaged? Could he have survived? Have we checked this area thoroughly to see if he was thrown out of the buggy?" Sam paced around the alleyway, picking randomly through rubbish bags and abandoned boxes until Jo caught hold of her to cease her relentless movement.

"Sam… Sam honey look at me. Just stop for a second." Jo waited until she was assured she had Sam's undivided attention. "There was no damage to the pushchair. It's been protected by being at the back of the building, which means it must have been here when the explosion went off. Either Abi had left the buggy through here, which is unlikely given that her bag's still on the back of it, or someone else brought it out here. We've had officers go over every inch of the building. Joey's not inside." Jo felt her own eyes mist over with tears as she thought of the young boy she had become so close to in his three months of life, irrationally fearing that she had failed in her duty as godmother by not protecting him from the evil in the world.

"Well if he's not in there he must be at the hospital somewhere then. We need to get down there, now." Sam turned to leave, casting a glance over her shoulder to check Jo was following, stopped in her tracks by the look on her face. "What is it? What are you not telling me?"

"I've phoned the hospital. The youngest patient they've received from this incident is four years old. No babies have been admitted within the last five hours." Jo couldn't bring herself to voice her fears, looking to Gina for help.

"Sam, I think it's necessary for you to consider that Joey may have been taken, or that Abi may have left him somewhere after leaving the prison."

"Abi wouldn't do that, she'd never do that. Jo, you know she wouldn't harm a hair on his head, she loves him." Sam turned to Jo, gripping her upper arms tightly as she sought reassurance.

"Ordinarily, I'd agree with you. But I didn't speak to Abi after she saw Hugh, I don't know what her state of mind was. Put yourself in her shoes for a minute; you've just been to visit the man who, technically, raped you and got you pregnant, he tells you he's appealing against the prison sentence you made sure he got and all the time he's reminding you that the child in your arms is his son – fifty per cent of his genetic makeup comes from Hugh. How would you feel towards that child? Ever since the letter arrived asking her to visit the prison, Abi has been on a short fuse with Joey, hasn't wanted to hold him as much and she walked out and left him screaming the other day while you were at work." As she finished the admission, Jo couldn't bring herself to look at Sam, knowing that her lover would be disappointed in her for not telling her as soon as Abi had walked out.

"She may be struggling to accept how Joey was conceived at the moment but that doesn't mean she'd abandon him somewhere." Sam pushed away from Jo, glaring up at the tall brunette, eyes blazing with anger. "Since when were you such an expert on _my_ daughter?"

Gina stepped in hoping to stave off a domestic between the two women, realising that even apparently idyllic relationships could mask serious issues. "Maybe it would be a good idea if you visited the prison, asked what time Abi left. It'd give us a better idea of how long ago Joey went missing. And then I suggest you both get yourselves down to the hospital, see how Abi's doing and ask her if she knows where her son is. Go on, hop it, you're no use to anybody here like this."

As the two women trudged away from the café and crossed the road for the short walk to the prison, Jo attempted to clear the air between them.

"Sam, I don't want you to think that I believe Abi is responsible for Joey's disappearance but if we're going to find him quickly, we have to consider every possibility. The only viable alternative at the moment is that someone abducted him." Sam stared straight ahead, eyes firmly fixed on the horizon, showing no flicker of having registered Jo's words. They walked on in silence, Sam never addressing Jo once, even when they arrived at the prison and were confirming what time Abi left and whether she had Joey with her.

The journey to the hospital was fraught with tension as the silence stretched out between the two women, each caught up in their own private misery and painfully aware of the gulf that had suddenly opened up between them. Jo parked the car and went to pay for a ticket while Sam entered the emergency department to try and locate her daughter. The brunette caught up with the feisty blonde as she was pacing in the corridor in front of the nurses station, waiting impatiently for someone to appear.

"Mrs Nixon?" Sam's head spun round.

"Detective Inspector actually." The young Asian doctor paled visibly at Sam's prickly response. "Where's my daughter?"

"Abigail was taken up to theatre about two hours ago to try and repair some of the damage caused by debris from the explosion. She'll be taken to intensive care once she's out of theatre. If you take the lift to the next floor and follow the signs, there's a relative's area you can wait in until there's more news." Sam did not respond well to the cagey explanation.

"What sort of damage? Is it critical? Why does everyone insist on keeping information from me today?" The words came out sounding more like a feral growl, fear and frustration forcing her voice down an octave. Jo went to intervene but was shot a glare which left her in no doubt it would not be welcome. Swallowing hard, she backed up a step wondering if she would ever have so fierce a maternal streak as Sam.

"There were extensive lacerations to her arms, legs and neck with some evidence of head trauma. Abigail lost a significant amount of blood as a result of her injuries. One of the lacerations was very deep, it became apparent that some of her vital blood vessels were compromised so the decision was made to take her into theatre for exploratory surgery to try to visualise and repair the damage. It's too early to offer any definite prognosis at this stage but with blood loss of this magnitude, the next forty-eight hours will be critical." A pregnant pause hung in the air at the doctor's words before Sam seemed to recover her composure slightly.

"Thank you doctor. Next floor up you said?" The medic nodded, looking grateful to escape before he was grilled any further. Sam turned on her heel striding towards the lift. Jo trailed in her wake, not sure her presence was required but needing to know for herself that Abi was going to be ok, having developed a strong bond with the troubled young girl.

"Can I help you?" A nurse approached the two women as they wandered through the corridors, scanning wall signs for directions to the waiting area the doctor had mentioned. Automatically, they both flashed their warrant cards at the middle aged ward sister.

"DI Nixon, DS Masters, Sun Hill police. Abigail Nixon, my daughter, was brought up to theatre a couple of hours ago. We were told we could wait up here for her to come out." The nurse offered Sam a sympathetic smile as she checked the record of bed occupants.

"I can do better than that, Abigail's just been settled into ITU a few minutes ago." Switching her gaze to Jo, the sister apologised. "It's immediate family only I'm afraid, she really is in no fit state to be making a statement right now." Jo nodded her understanding, preparing to wait for Sam to emerge from the sterile room in which Abi lay.

"Jo is immediate family, she's my partner." Sam reached for Jo's hand, leading her towards the room the nurse had pointed out as Abi's. Jo took a shaky breath as she squeezed Sam's hand, thankful for the cease fire, no matter how temporary.


	5. Chapter 5

"Ok people, listen up; we have an extensive collection of CCTV tapes to go through so I need a couple of willing volunteers. One can take the tapes from the front of the building, see if you can spot who left the car there, the other can take those from the back of the café, we need to find out what happened to Abigail Nixon's son and we need to find out as soon as possible if his disappearance is linked to the explosion or whether we're looking at two isolated incidents here." Jack took charge in Sam's absence, failing to conceal his surprise as Jo walked through the doors to the CID office. Without speaking to anyone, she picked up the crate of tapes, leaving the office as quickly as she had appeared. Terry and Ramani exchanged worried looks having seen the dark rings beneath Jo's eyes and the fact she was still wearing the same clothes as she had been the previous day.

"I guess that lets us lot off the hook for the tapes then Guv." Phil wise cracked, oblivious to his colleagues concern for the brunette.

"No one could ever accuse you of being a team player, could they Phil?" Ramani shook her head as she spoke, rising from her seat as she volunteered to help Jo go through the tapes.

"Thanks Ramani, but I'd rather put your expertise to good use elsewhere. Checking CCTV tapes doesn't need two sergeants. Mickey, perhaps you'd give Jo a hand?" Jack asked his trusted friend.

"Course Guv." Mickey walked from the room, grabbing two coffees on his way to the room set aside for viewing tapes.

As he entered the room, Jo never took her eyes from the screen, accepting the coffee with only a brief offer of thanks. "You know, no one expected you or Sam in today. How is Abi?"

"She's still heavily sedated at the minute but signs are good. Sam insisted I came in, she wants to know exactly what's going on. Besides sitting around the hospital was driving me mad, I felt so useless. At least here I can do something productive to find Joey." Jo's gaze still never wavered from the small flickering screen before her.

"Chuck us the tapes from the front entrance then, I'll see what we've got of the car." Mickey settled himself in the chair beside Jo, leaning forward to power up the second TV and video. Pausing her own tape, Jo pushed a pile of videos towards Mickey, grimacing slightly at a twinge in her shoulder, reminding her that the muscles still bore some weakness from her attack at the hands of Mark Somerton three months earlier.

Mickey leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head, two hours of watching the same section of blurred, grainy CCTV pictures at high speed having left him with a pounding headache and stiffness in muscles he didn't know he had. Jo was still engrossed in her viewing, jumping slightly as Jack's voice broke into the oppressive silence that had settled on the room.

"Found anything we can use yet?"

"I've watched the footage from both the cameras near the bus stop but neither gives a clear view of the car, or whoever left it there. I've got Abi Nixon entering the café at approximately 10.30 yesterday morning with the pushchair but I can't really tell for sure whether her son's in it." Mickey stole a glance at Jo, fearing some reprisal from his statement but she showed no sign that she'd actually heard him. "There's another three people entering the café immediately after Abi. Any of them look familiar Jo? Any one of them on the tapes from the back of the café?" Both men looked at the sergeant expectantly, waiting for her to share her findings.

"Until the police arrive, there's not a single person in this alleyway. No one comes out of the back of the café or any other building along this stretch. The view's uninterrupted so it's not that they can have slipped past unnoticed. However they got Joey out, it wasn't through the backdoor." Jo ran a hand through her hair, exasperation evident on her face. She had been so certain the tapes would show Joey's abductor. Her mind was reeling with the possibilities and implications of no one exiting via the rear of the café.

"Take a break, come back to it after lunch with fresh eyes." Mickey nodded rising from his chair, glad of the excuse to move for a while. He wanted to find the culprit as much as anyone but had found it hard to concentrate in the warm, dark, silent room. When Jo made no move to leave, Jack prompted her, "you too Jo. The tapes aren't going anywhere and you're more likely to miss something vital if you don't take a break."

"In a minute Guv. I just want to check something." Jo swapped the tape she had been watching for one of the tapes from the front of the building, hitting play as soon as the video was installed.

"Don't make me pull rank on you Jo. Technically, as a sergeant you should be delegating this type of work to officers less senior to yourself but I realise this case is more personal to you so I'm willing to allow you to do the work on these tapes. That won't stop me pulling you off though if I think you're compromised. You need to eat and sleep and take time away to give yourself time to think, if I don't see that happening, I will replace you and sign you off duty." Jack watched Jo's jaw clench, unsure whether he was about to receive a mouthful of abuse or whether she was trying to stop herself from crying.

"Sir, if Joey wasn't taken out of the backdoor, he must have left via the front…unless…" Jo rapidly ejected the tape Mickey had been watching, placing it carefully to one side and replacing the tape with the one she had taken from her own machine minutes earlier, scrolling through until the police presence had disappeared. She looked intently at the screen, hoping her hunch was accurate.

"Unless what Jo? What are you thinking?" Jack sensed the renewed energy emanating from her as she viewed the tape, eyes scanning the screen constantly for any signs of movement.

"The back half of the café was practically untouched by the explosion. We weren't looking for a missing child at that point, not really. What if he wasn't taken out of the building until _after_ we'd all left? Were all the back rooms, store rooms, freezer rooms checked for people? Was the area above the café checked? Whoever had Joey could have been hiding somewhere, waiting for activity to die down before they made their escape." Jo suddenly dived on the pause button as movement on the screen drew her full attention. She tapped the screen as a female figure emerged from the back of the café with a bundle evident beneath her jacket, trying visibly to shield her face from view. "Bingo."

"Let's get stills from this done so we have something to release to the press. The sooner we get an image out there, the more likely we are to get an ID. Good work Jo but now you are going to take a break, that's an order." A commotion in the main office drew their attention. Stopping the tape and noting the place on the tape, both officers rushed through to find out what all the noise was about.

"Why is no one taking this seriously? A three month old baby is missing and no one seems to be doing anything towards finding him. Has anyone been to the prison, questioned Hugh Wallis yet? Ramani, Terry, get down to Longmarsh and talk to him, he _must_ know something about Joey's disappearance. Phil, Zain, Suzie why are you sitting around waiting for information to come to you? Get out there and shake things up, talk to your snouts, see if there's any word on the street about the abduction or the explosion. Someone knows something, you can't just take a baby and not have anyone notice." Sam slammed a hand down on the desk in front of her as no one made any move to leave the office. "Did I miss something? Are you all deaf all of a sudden?"

"Sam, everyone is doing everything they can to find your grandson." Jack tried to diffuse his DI's temper, knowing it was simply borne out of fear and frustration. Sam spun around to face Jack, her eyes lingering on him only momentarily before they settled on Jo, who shifted uneasily under her lover's scrutiny.

"What are you doing here sergeant? I told you to go home."

"I know, but I couldn't. I had to do something to help." Jo was rooted to the spot, concerned by Sam's demeanour, worried that it may mean Abi's condition had worsened. "How's Abi?"

"There's no change. The hospital wouldn't let me stay, told me I had to go." Sam didn't elaborate that the hospital staff had stipulated she should rest. Relief flickered momentarily on Jo's face.

"Jo's been helping us sort through the CCTV tapes," Jack offered.

"And? Have you found anything?" Sam jumped in approaching the pair.

"And we're still looking… I just needed a break from staring at the screen." Jo supplied, not wanting Sam to know about her finding just yet, knowing that the blonde woman needed sleep and would not rest if she knew there was a potential lead to be followed up. Jack looked at Jo but said nothing, assuming she must have her reasons for keeping Sam in the dark.

"Where are the tapes? I'll take over while you have your break." Sam made a move to leave, heading for the viewing room.

"Sam, there are other people who can be doing that. Mickey's already been helping Jo and there are plenty of willing volunteers. You haven't slept, go home, get your head down for a few hours. You too, Jo." Jack stalled Sam's exit, looking to Jo for backup.

"Sir, I appreciate your concern but I'm fine. I don't want or need to go home, what I need is to be doing something to move this case along. It's been twenty-four hours now since we have a confirmed sighting of Joey. We can't afford to be sluggish, Hugh is capable of anything and will stop at nothing to play his games." Sam also turned her gaze pleadingly to her lover, willing her to offer support.

"And it's that kind of blinkered attitude that could jeopardise this entire investigation. I don't need officers on my team who can't think straight because of fatigue. I've already warned Jo that I will pull rank if necessary and that goes for you too." Jack stood his ground, refusing to be cowed despite Sam's stony glare fixed upon him.

"Sam, this isn't achieving anything. Come home, get some rest, then we'll go and see Abi again before coming back with fresh eyes and ideas. We can get more done, be more effective if we give ourselves some time away. I'm sure we can count on Jack to let us know the minute there's any news." Jo raised her eyebrows asking for Jack's reassurance as she risked a showdown with Sam, conscious of their colleagues watching with interest. She reached out to Sam from behind, placing her hands on the DI's shoulders, unsurprised by how tense her muscles were.

"Of course, as soon as we hear anything, you'll be the first to know." Jack acknowledged. "You can't work twenty four hours a day until Joey is found. You're no good to anyone running yourself into the ground." Sam tried to pull away from Jo, fearing the affectionate touch would be enough to dissolve her tough mask.

"I'm taking Hugh's case notes with me, I want to review them in detail, see if there's anything that might help in them." Jo stepped closer to the diminutive blonde, wrapping her arms around the slender form, preventing her from crossing to the filing cabinet housing the case files.

"That won't help you rest and there's no guarantee it will be of any use. What's the point in going over old ground and opening up old wounds unless you have to? Let Phil or Ramani go over the notes, someone who isn't so closely involved." Sam writhed in Jo's embrace, feeling her façade crumbling and willing herself not to breakdown in front of her colleagues, despising Jo's ability to unmask her in that moment.

"Let me go." Jo heard the edge in Sam's voice, not needing to see her face to know that she was on the verge of breaking down. Skilfully, the sergeant managed to turn Sam around without breaking her hold on the struggling woman, pulling her closer even as blows reigned down on her in Sam's fight to free herself.

"Sshh, it's ok. Come here, come on." The tall brunette tightened her grip, trapping Sam's arms and preventing her from flailing about any more, holding her close as fatigue and fear hit the feisty blonde full force.

"I need to find him. I can't fail her again." Sam's voice was so quiet, only Jo heard her words.

"We will find him, you don't have to do this alone. I'm here for you, always. Abi won't blame you for this, it's not your fault, no matter the reason Joey was taken." Jo reassured her lover, aching from the blows Sam had landed but relentlessly holding onto her until she had completely ceased her struggling. All the while, she murmured reassurances into Sam's ear, dropping kisses lightly on her head and cheek.

"Take her home, Jo. I don't want to see either of you 'til tomorrow. I'll phone you later with an update." Jack indicated for the rest of the team to get back to work, knowing Sam would not appreciate being gawped at like an exhibit in a museum. Jo ushered Sam from the room, still holding her close, grabbing her bag and jacket on the way, ready for a turbulent few hours at home.

"I'm going to run you a bubble bath, give you a chance to unwind so that you might be able to sleep for a bit." Jo made a move towards the stairs as they entered the small terraced house.

"You trying to tell me something about my level of personal hygiene?" Sam attempted to relieve the tension between them with humour.

"Well, I didn't like to say anything but…" Jo grinned, grateful that the gulf between them seemed to be diminishing a little.

"I can't say you smell too peachy either!" Sam ducked away from Jo as she playfully swatted the petite blonde.

"Do you think your bathtub's big enough for two? We'd be doing our bit towards saving water then since we keep being threatened with drought." The brunette never thought for a minute that Sam would agree to sharing a bath with her given their recent disagreements but wanted to keep the light-hearted banter going.

"Want me to grab a bottle of wine while you get it running? I think I'm going to need some sort of anaesthetic to knock me out and I don't want to give Jack any reason for not letting me back in the station." Jo nodded her assent, weariness washing over her as she climbed the stairs, entering the bathroom and sitting on the side of the tub as she turned the hot tap on fully. Waiting for the water to warm up, she leant forward, head in her hands, still trying to get used to the quietness of the house without Abi and the baby around. Moments passed before Jo moved, pushing to plug in to capture the toasty warm water, wandering to the top of the stairs as she listened for Sam coming to join her. It struck her that the house was maybe too quiet, no other sounds apparent besides the running water and her own breathing. Dashing back into the bathroom, spinning the hot water tap until the gushing torrent abated, Jo dashed back down the stairs, calling Sam's name as she went. Skidding to a halt in the hallway, she glanced at the table beside the front door where she had dropped the car keys on entering the house, finding them gone along with Sam.


	6. Chapter 6

"Dammit Sam." Jo paced through the house as she rapidly dialled Sam's mobile number, knowing that she wouldn't leave it behind whilst waiting for news of Abi. When she was diverted through to Sam's answering service after just two rings, Jo was caught in two minds as to whether to leave a message or not. At the signal, she decided that she had to say something. "Sam, whatever it is you're planning on doing – and I sincerely hope you're not on your way to the prison – please turn around and come back. You're exhausted and you're in no fit state to be investigating anything right now. Please sweetheart, talk to me, even if it's just to tell me you're ok." Jo ended the call, not knowing what else she could say. Re-dialling, the frantic brunette called Phil.

"You've reached the voicemail service for…" Growling in frustration, Jo hung up not wishing to leave a message on another machine. She tried Mickey's number, knowing that the station was closer to Longmarsh than the house and that anyone there would stand a better chance of heading Sam off if she were heading that way than she did.

"DC Webb." Jo thanked the heavens above as Mickey's familiar tones sounded on the other end of the line.

"Mickey, it's Jo. I need you to do me a favour – but I don't want anyone else finding out. Sam's gone AWOL, she's taken her car. I think she's probably heading to Longmarsh to try and talk to Hugh. I need you to try and stop her before she gets inside." The frantic brunette dashed around the house gathering the keys to her own car as she spoke to Mickey. "I'm about to leave the house, I'll meet you there. Do whatever you have to do to stall her, I should only be a few minutes behind you."

"I'm out the door now, I should be able to get to the prison in what five minutes." Mickey grabbed his jacket, shrugging into it as he raced out of CID, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder as he dressed himself, still talking to Jo as he went. "She going to be ok d'you think?"

"I honestly don't know, I've never seen her like this before, so self destructive and rigid in her belief Hugh's behind Joey's disappearance." Jo climbed into her car, buckling up as she plugged her phone into the hands-free kit she had installed. Firing up the ignition, she ended her call with Mickey, thanking him profusely for helping out. Before pulling away, she scrolled through her contacts list instructing her mobile to dial Sam's number once again. She listened agitatedly to the recording informing her that it was not possible to connect her call, hanging up without leaving another message.

Jo pulled up outside the prison, tyres squealing as she skidded to a halt in her haste to help Mickey subdue Sam and prevent her from making a grave error in judgement.

"Sam, get in the car. Now." Jo's voice was stern, like a mother ticking off an unruly child.

"Let me past Mickey. I need to talk to Hugh." When the DC made no effort to move, Sam growled threateningly, "if you don't move this instant Detective Constable Webb, I'll see you bounced back into uniform and see that you remain there until you're pensioned off." Mickey's confidence wavered slightly in the face of the DI's threat. Rationally he knew it was unlikely Jack would ever allow such a thing to happen but Sam was a formidable force when angered.

"Sam, for God's sakes listen to me!" Jo grabbed Sam's upper arms, spinning her round until they were face to face.

"Take your hands off me, _Sergeant_." Fury flashed dangerously in Sam's eyes as she regarded Jo, spitting out her rank as though it were an insult.

"If you burst in there, all guns blazing, flinging accusations around without a shred of evidence to back them up, not only will you make a right royal idiot of yourself, but you'll also make it that much harder to secure a conviction if we do get any evidence against Hugh. I'm not saying you shouldn't be allowed to question him, but do it properly, by the book. Gather evidence, make it impossible for him to deny his involvement – if he is involved. And if he's not, well we might find we need him onside because this might be as much about someone wanting to hurt him as it is someone trying to get at you or Abi, or a random opportunistic abduction. Come on Sam, this isn't you and you know it. Now get in the car and let me take you home." Jo eased her grip on Sam's arms as she spoke but maintained the hold in case Sam thought about making a break for it.

"I have my own car, I can't just leave it here; it'll be towed away if it's not stolen first." Sam pointed out sullenly.

"Right now, I couldn't care less if a troop of Leprechauns used it to hold a drug fuelled rave in, I just want to get you home. I think you and I need to talk about a few things." Sam looked at Jo, seeing her as the woman she loved rather than an insubordinate junior officer for the first time since leaving the hospital. She had been so wrapped up in her own suffering that she lost sight of how she was treating her partner, and suddenly she feared she had pushed her too far, that Jo was ready to call time on their relationship.

"Leave the keys with me, I'll get someone to drop the car back at your place on the quiet, no questions asked." Mickey offered as Sam slumped into the passenger seat of Jo's black Focus. Thanking Mickey, Jo tossed him the keys she had wrestled out of Sam's grip before slipping into the driver's seat and driving away.

"I don't know about you, but I could really use a strong black coffee." Jo ushered Sam through to the kitchen, fairly certain that it would be safe to leave her alone without her absconding again but not having the energy to dash after her again if her intuition proved to be wrong. The blonde DI hadn't spoken since Jo's outburst at the prison, having spent the fifteen minute journey home gazing out of the car window, willing her tears to dry as she imagined how the conversation with Jo would go, trying to imagine life without Jo's ever steady presence. As they waited for the kettle to boil, Jo pulled Sam to sit at the kitchen table, taking a seat across from her and holding her hands across the wooden surface, some part of her relieved to see tears glistening in Sam's baby blue eyes.

"I wish you'd talk to me, tell me what's going on in that head of yours." Sam looked down at the table top, a single tear splashing onto its surface as she wondered why Jo didn't just get on with telling her it was over, that their relationship had been a mistake. "Sam please, you're really worrying me. I feel like I've lost you and there's no way I can reach you, no matter what I do or how hard I try." Jo squeezed the hands trembling beneath her own, waiting for some sort of response.

"I'm sorry Jo. I've let you down. You deserve so much better than me, than this." Sam moved to leave, bracing herself for the inevitable rejection she had faced so often in the past, the pain so much stronger at the thought of losing Jo than with previous partners, scaring Sam in its intensity. She found herself enveloped in a strong, warm embrace, burying her head instinctively against Jo's ample bosom, feeling the familiar sense of belonging.

"No Sam, don't you **_ever_** believe that. You could never, _never_ let me down. I thank the powers that be each and every day for bringing you into my life. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. But there's only so much I can do if you won't let me in. I thought we were so good at talking things through, I guess though, this is the first time we've had something really major to discuss."

"I'm not the only one clamming up though. What is it that _you're_ not telling _me_? Every time I mention children, you get this rabbit-caught-in-the-headlights look and can't wait to get as far away from me as is humanly possible." Jo shifted uncomfortably, swallowing down the wave of nausea that washed over her. Sam studied her intently, nodding slightly, "yep, just like that." The petite blonde placed one hand against Jo's cheek, determined that they would both talk openly if the air was to be cleared between them. The buxom brunette pulled away, knowing she would have to tell her lover the secret she had guarded for close to thirty years, but unable to look at her whilst doing so, fearful of the disgust and rejection that would ultimately follow.

"I did get pregnant once, a long time ago. I was fourteen, scared, confused about who and what I was. I went to a disco with some friends, there was a guy a few years older than me who was flirting with me all evening. I ended up having sex with him behind the hall where the disco was being held, trying to convince myself it was what I wanted, that I didn't wish it was my best friend, Lucy, instead of him. I hated every second of it – fortunately, it was your typical teenage fumble so it didn't last much longer than thirty seconds. Unfortunately, it was long enough to leave me expecting his child. I told Mum as soon as I realised something was unusual, she arranged for me to have an abortion, nothing official, it was a backstreet job; she couldn't stand the shame it would have brought on the family. My brother, Guy, he was nine at the time and already a handful, I was supposed to be the responsible one, the one with her head screwed on. We never told anyone else, Dad still doesn't know as far as I'm aware and Guy was still only twenty when he died, he'd gone into the army to turn his life around. Mum and I never spoke of it again and, until today, I've never told anyone about it. I'm not even sure it's possible for me to have kids now, physically I mean, it wasn't exactly a textbook procedure, more sort of scooping everything out as quickly as possible on someone's kitchen table." Jo absent-mindedly rubbed a hand across her abdomen as long repressed memories assaulted her, visions haunting her of the terrified child she had been calling for her mother to take the pain away, to make it all stop.

"That's horrendous! You must have been petrified." Sam was struggling to marry the image of Jo as a vulnerable, confused teen with the confident, proud woman she had come to love, wondering how she herself would have coped in such a situation.

"It was a long time ago and it's never really been an issue since…" Jo felt a tremor run through her body as Sam slipped her arms around her waist from behind, hugging her body close to the taller woman's back, hands resting lightly on Jo's taut stomach.

"…until I pushed and pushed it. I'm so sorry sweetheart." Sam closed her eyes, one cheek resting between Jo's shoulder blades. A few moments of quiet reflection passed between them, both lost to their own thoughts. "I'm scared Jo; scared of what Hugh's capable, scared of Abi going back to him if his appeal is successful, scared of never seeing my grandson grow up. But what scares me more than any of that is the thought of losing you, of how losing you would tear me apart. I've never felt like this about anyone else, and it terrifies me. Hugh makes me crazy, he gets inside my head and it's like I know I'm being a first class witch to everyone but I can't help it. I'm so scared that you'll get tired of me and decide it's not worth it." Sam stood up straight as she felt Jo move to turn around. As the tall brunette leant back against the worktop she pulled Sam in close, holding her tightly.

"I promise you I will never think you're not worth it. No matter what you say to me Sam, or how hard you might try to push me away, you're stuck with me I'm afraid. I'm engaged to you, I plan to be by your side each and every day, until death us do part, or at least as long as you'll have me."

"As soon as we find Joey, let's set a date, make it official." Sam beamed turning her watery gaze up towards her lover, stretching up to plant a kiss on her inviting lips, stifling a yawn as she pulled back.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea to me. Now Ms Nixon, how sorry are you for making me chase you halfway across London?" Jo's eyes lit up mischievously, the press of Sam's body against her own fanning the ever present flames of attraction.

"A slight exaggeration there!" Sam rolled her eyes before stealing another kiss and drawing Jo towards the stairs, leading her to bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam lay back on the bed, watching the voluptuous naked frame of her lover descend towards her, pulse quickening the closer Jo got, thrills of desire chasing through her veins, igniting every nerve they crossed. Jo settled her length against Sam's side, one hand lazily tracing random patterns on the blonde's smooth skin as she stole another breath taking kiss from her lover, one leg insinuating itself between Sam's own. A warm dampness coated Jo's thigh where it made contact with Sam's groin creating a fresh flood of arousal in both women. She allowed her hand to caress its way further down the flat expanse of flesh on display to her, dipping into the hot wetness betraying Sam's desire.

"So beautiful." Jo's voice was breathless as she gazed at her lover, so open and trusting, laying beside her, skin flushed and squirming shamelessly under Jo's tender ministrations. She leaned her face tantalisingly close to Sam's, whispering, "please don't ever doubt that I love you enough to stay by your side, no matter what. You're my world." Capturing Sam's lips, toying with them between her teeth before soothing them with her tongue sensually, Jo slid her fingers to Sam's drenched opening, feeling her partner's hips arch off the bed in invitation.

Sam found her breath stolen, any reply she had hoped to offer replaced by a whimper as Jo continued to tease her, pushing the very tip of one finger inside her briefly before withdrawing again, coating her fingers liberally in the liquid fire flowing freely from her core. As desire danced through her veins, focusing on any single thought became an impossibility, she was content just to float on the cloud of euphoria Jo's actions were creating revelling in how well this woman had learnt her body in a relatively short space of time – a lesson many of her previous partners had failed to take on board at any point, concentrating more on their own needs than hers. Every time they made love, Sam was amazed at Jo's intense quest to satiate Sam's every desire with little thought to her own body's demands, seeming to get as much satisfaction out of her lover's reactions as she did when Sam returned her attentions. Her hazed mental meanderings were interrupted by Jo's mouth descending on her swollen nub, suckling the tiny bundle of nerves at the same time as pushing a finger inside of her gradually adding two more with each thrust, curling them so she could stroke the internal spot guaranteed to drive the blonde wild. Sam screamed out Jo's name, her voice hoarse and throaty, heedless of the neighbours, aware only of the feel of her lover and the intense orgasm crashing through her body, her limbs jerking spasmodically as waves broke over and over. Jo kept up her rhythm until Sam collapsed back on the bed spent and whimpering. The buxom brunette crawled back up the bed, soothingly kissing the quivering sensitive flesh of Sam's torso as she ascended, completing her journey with a leisurely kiss on her lover's alluring lips.

Jo allowed herself to be rolled onto her back, wrapping her arms around the smaller frame of her lover, pulling her across until she was lying on top of her. Sam rested her weight on her arms, concerned that she would crush her lover even though she was reluctant to climb off, enjoying the feel of their breasts rubbing together as Jo began rocking against the muscular thigh between her own. The blonde insinuated a hand between Jo's throbbing centre and her leg, allowing her weight to settle atop the larger frame beneath her. Dipping her fingers into the hot liquid flowing freely she milked the sensitive bundle of nerves with practised ease, stealing a kiss, swallowing Jo's cry as she entered her, pushing three fingers deep into her core, riding the contractions of the brunette's internal muscles, guiding her through the orgasm. Sam felt another wave sweep over her as Jo's juices drenched her hand still buried deep within her core, tightly held in place by the powerful muscles, collapsing into Jo's waiting arms as the intense pleasure subsided. The women kissed leisurely, their love and devotion to one another reaffirmed, a drowsy sated contentment settling over them. Sam made a move to climb off Jo, her retreat stalled by Jo's tightening grip around her waist.

"I like you being there," the brunette confessed bashfully.

"Aren't I a bit heavy for you though?" Sam asked, conscious of not wishing to cause Jo any discomfort.

Jo shook her head in response, inviting Sam to make herself comfortable, guiding her head down to rest against her chest, reaching for the duvet and pulling it up around Sam who shivered, not realising how chilly the air was until she was enveloped in the warm bedding. "Comfy?" Jo asked. Feeling Sam nod against her chest, she answered, "good, me too. Try and get some sleep, sweetheart.

"I like you being there," the brunette confessed bashfully.

"Aren't I a bit heavy for you though?" Sam asked, basking in the closeness the new position granted them but conscious of not wishing to cause Jo any discomfort.

Jo shook her head in response, inviting Sam to make herself comfortable, guiding her head down to rest against her chest, reaching for the duvet and pulling it up around Sam who shivered, not realising how chilly the air was until she was enveloped in the warm bedding. "Comfy?" Jo asked. Feeling Sam nod against her chest, she answered, "good, me too. Try and get some sleep, sweetheart."

Sam woke with a start as she was jettisoned from her luxurious position lying on top of her fiancée, groggy from lack of sleep and the abrupt awakening. As she steadied herself, teetering dangerously on the edge of the bed, the blonde took a moment to allow full consciousness to arrive before she assessed the reason for her rude awakening. Looking to Jo, she frowned at the sight of her lover in the throes of a nightmare, face contorted as though in pain and sweat beading on her brow. Skirting back to her side, Sam fought a mental battle over whether to wake her or not, having heard conflicting theories on the dangers of waking someone whilst they were dreaming. As Jo let out an agonised cry writhing as though fighting unseen demons, instinct led Sam to try and soothe her lover's torment, stroking damp tendrils of hair back from her eyes, murmuring reassurances all the while.

"Come on Jo, wake up sweetheart. It's just a dream. It's ok, it's ok you're safe, no one's going to hurt you, I won't let them. You're safe honey." Gently, she coaxed the brunette from her night terror. It was not the first time that she had witnessed Jo in the grip of bad dreams, in her first few days out of hospital, nightmares had been commonplace as Jo fought to deal with the emotional aftermath of Mark Somerton's abduction. Numerous times she had found herself being mentally dragged back in her sleep to that old warehouse at his mercy, waking disoriented and scared initially pushing Sam away, thinking she was still under attack. Talking to Sam had helped and with her support the bad dreams had abated. Thinking back to their earlier conversation, to Jo's admission, Sam was not overly surprised that there had been a reoccurrence, wondering how her lover had managed to repress for so long the horrific ordeal she had outlined that afternoon. Even with her experience in the realms of psychology, the power of the human brain to deal with trauma never ceased to amaze her. She focused on the woman gradually regaining consciousness of the world around her, reiterating her reassurances as Jo's muscles tensed. "Shhh, hey it's ok, it's only me. You're safe sweetheart, there's no one here but us."

Jo instinctively pulled away from the caresses being showered upon her, memories of her nightmare leaking into her waking consciousness, unsettling her. It had all seemed so real, so fresh; the smells, the feelings, the pain and shame, the look of disappointment on her mother's face exactly as they had been all those years ago, only in her dream the baby had been Mark Somerton's and she had been no naïve teen but the grown woman who was now lying trembling in a foetal ball wishing she could wash away the dirty feeling her dream had left her with but knowing no amount of scrubbing would eradicate it.

"Want to talk about it?" Sam pulled herself up, resting against the headboard, propping a pillow behind her back to lean on, watching Jo lying with her back to her, wishing she could reach out but knowing that she must allow Jo to control the situation. Whilst every instinct begged her to withdraw, Jo forced herself to turn and face Sam, haltingly recounting her traumatising dream, sharing every detail in the hope that it would banish it from her mind.

"Sam, I don't really remember that much about what happened with Mark, I was fairly out of it most of the time. There's no way he could have… I'd have known… wouldn't I?" Jo looked up at Sam imploringly, searching for reassurance, her brow furrowed.

"He never had chance. We had the doctors check you over as soon as you arrived at the hospital just to be on the safe side, there was no evidence whatsoever that he'd assaulted you sexually." Sam assured her lover meeting her gaze unwaveringly, heart going out to her lover, wondering how long that particular fear had been playing on her mind.

"I was fairly sure that was the case, it's just… that dream seemed… so real. I guess I just needed to hear you say it." Jo smiled tremulously, snuggling into Sam's side, head resting against the petite blonde's chest, arm draped across her waist, feeling the tension drain from her body.

"I'm really am sorry for pushing you about the children issue. If I'd backed off when I first realised you didn't want to talk about it, you wouldn't be having to go through this now." Sam absentmindedly stroked one hand through Jo's silky hair, the other resting on the brunette's shoulder supportively.

"I'm glad you know. I don't want there to be any secrets between us and if I'm going to be a mum then this is something I have to deal with. I don't want fear to rob me of the chance of being a parent."

"If there's one thing I can say with total certainty, it's that I don't imagine you'd allow fear to rob you of anything. We'll take it one step at a time, together. I'm not promising it'll be easy, but no matter what, I'll be right here beside you, supporting you one hundred percent. And for what it's worth, I think you'll make a fantastic mum." Sam gently squeezed Jo's shoulder, images of a baby Jo filling her mind.

"I'm really am sorry for pushing you about the children issue. If I'd backed off when I first realised you didn't want to talk about it, you wouldn't be having to go through this now." Sam absentmindedly stroked one hand through Jo's silky hair, the other resting on the brunette's shoulder supportively.

"I'm glad you know. I don't want there to be any secrets between us and if I'm going to be a mum then this is something I have to deal with. I don't want fear to rob me of the chance of being a parent."

"If there's one thing I can say with total certainty, it's that I don't imagine you'd allow fear to rob you of anything. We'll take it one step at a time, together. I'm not promising it'll be easy, but no matter what, I'll be right here beside you, supporting you one hundred percent. And for what it's worth, I think you'll make a fantastic mum." Sam gently squeezed Jo's shoulder, images of a baby Jo filling her mind. Jo's smile was brighter this time as she shifted so that she could plant a kiss on Sam's waiting lips. The tender moment was interrupted by the telephone, the jarring sound startlingly loud in the quiet house causing both women to jump. Sam darted from the bed, hoping for news on Joey.

"Samantha Nixon."

"Ms Nixon, it's Sister Bailey from St Hugh's. I thought you'd want to know immediately, your daughter's awake and asking for you. She's also been asking after her son, we haven't told her anything as yet, we thought it would be better coming from you."

"Thank you, I'm on my way." Sam replaced the receiver, turning to face Jo who was looking at her expectantly. "Abi's awake, she's asking about Joey." Taking a shaky breath, Sam ran a hand through her hair. "How do I tell her I have no idea where her son is?"

"We have to be honest with her, Sam. I'll call the station on the way to the hospital for a progress report, maybe we'll have something positive to offer Abi." Jo rose from the bed, all lingering thoughts of her nightmare banished. She busied herself gathering clothes together before leading Sam into the en-suite bathroom for a brief shower. "We have to be honest with her, Sam. I'll call the station on the way to the hospital for a progress report, maybe we'll have something positive to offer Abi." Jo rose from the bed, all lingering thoughts of her nightmare banished. She busied herself gathering clothes together before leading Sam into the en-suite bathroom for a brief shower. The two women dressed hurriedly and left the house, Sam allowing Jo to take the driving seat, her own mind too pre-occupied to control a car safely. They arrived at the hospital, heading straight to Abi's ward.

"Hi sweetheart." Sam greeted her daughter brightly, kissing her cheek, careful to avoid bumping her heavily bandaged wounds. "How are you?" Sam moved aside slightly as Jo leaned in to kiss Abi in greeting also.

"Where's Joey? Why will no one tell me anything about him? He's not dead is he Mum?" Abi's eyes misted over with tears, fear gripping her heart as her mother exchanged a worried glance with Jo. "Tell me what's going on, where's my son?"


	8. Chapter 8

Sam stalled for time, fussing over her daughter, plumping up pillows, unable to look her in the eye. Jo reached out to Sam, halting her movements, urging her to talk to Abi. When further seconds passed with no word from the blonde DI, Jo took the lead, knowing that Abi must be imagining far worse scenarios than the one she was about to present given Sam's avoidance.

"Abi, Joey wasn't found inside the café after the explosion. At the moment, we don't know where he is. We have CCTV footage of a woman we'd like to talk to in connection with his disappearance. Mickey's on his way over with some pictures, I'd like you to take a look see if you recognise her at all. We've got a great team working on finding him Abi, everyone's top priority is returning him to you, we'll get to the why once he's back safe and sound." Jo took hold of the young girl's hand as she spoke, doing her best to reassure her that her son would be returned to her.

"Why? Why would someone take him? What reason could they possibly have? Is this something to do with Hugh?" Abi's questions fell from her lips like an unstoppable torrent but it was Sam's own questions that caused Jo's heart to almost stop beating.

"When did they find this footage? Why haven't I seen it? You never said anything about them finding anything on the tapes." She turned a stony glare on her lover suddenly thinking she understood why Jo had been so adamant that she speak to their colleagues at the station regarding progress.

"Earlier, when I was going through the tapes, just before you arrived I saw someone leaving the building. She stayed out of sight until later that evening, after dark, and then left via the back door concealing something underneath her jacket. You were in no fit state to be anywhere but home, you were exhausted and overwrought. If I'd let you see the footage then, or let you know of its existence, there's no way you'd have left that station and my primary concern was for your welfare at that point in time." Jo tried to appease Sam, turning to Abi hoping to direct Sam's attention to her daughter. "Abi, we don't know yet why someone would take Joey. I'll need to ask you a few questions when you're feeling stronger, about what happened at the prison and the moments leading up to the explosion, but you tell me when you feel up to it ok? It can wait for a few hours if you need some time."

"What if I know this woman? You could have wasted all these hours searching for an identity for this person and yet the one person who might be able to ID her, you don't ask? Maybe I overestimated your skills DS Masters, maybe you were better suited to being a constable. What does she look like? Has her picture been released to the press yet? As soon as we get an ID we should see if she has any connections to Hugh." Sam persisted pacing about the tiny cubicle in which Abi was placed.

"Sam, trust that I have your best interests at heart. I know you're frustrated and scared and want to do everything within your power to find Joey but you can't do that if you don't take a step back. I want to find him too and I am going to do whatever it takes to do just that. I persuaded DCI Meadows to let me take the lead on the case when I phoned in before and I promise that I will keep you involved at every stage, as long as I don't feel you're compromising the case, but in return I ask you to trust me, trust my judgement." Jo caught hold of Sam to cease her endless wandering, the motion beginning to make her nauseous in the confined space. The petite blonde allowed herself to be enveloped in a warm hug, the knowledge that Jo had made sure she was in charge of the investigation alleviating Sam's fears a little, confident that the brunette would not rest until Joey had been found and the culprit brought to book for his abduction.

"Ask me whatever you need to Jo, I don't want to wait in case anything I say leads to finding my baby." Abi's voice trembled as se spoke of her son, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's my fault. I didn't want him anywhere near me when we left the prison. Every time I looked at him, I saw Hugh there grinning up at me. I thought I hated my own son. But I don't, I just want him back, I don't care who his father is." Sam crossed to her daughter, pulling her into her arms, Abi's own arms snaking around her mother and holding on to her tightly heedless of her injuries.

"It's ok sweetheart. None of this is your fault. You didn't ask for someone to snatch him." Sam reassured her weeping daughter. "We'll find him, you'll be holding him again in no time, I promise." Jo looked at Sam, frowning slightly, wishing she shared Sam's optimism but having dealt with enough child abduction cases to know statistically chances were slim. She only hoped that Sam didn't live to regret her words.

"Abi, can you talk us through what happened yesterday? Start with arriving at the prison, how did you get there? Did you see anyone hanging around?" Jo perched on the side of the bed, notebook open and pen poised.

"I got the bus, I can't remember which one, the ticket's in my purse. The bus stop's across the road from the café, I was a bit early so I crossed the road to get a drink and keep warm. I wasn't in much of a hurry to go into the prison; to be honest, sitting there I was having second thoughts about visiting at all." Abi paused, gathering her thoughts, remembering the people she had watched, wondering if any of them were connected to Joey's disappearance.

Jo interrupted, wanting to get every detail clear in case it proved significant. "What time did the bus drop you off?"

"It was just after 9.45, visiting time wasn't until 10. As the bus pulled away the BMW, the one that exploded, pulled into the bus stop and parked up. A guy who'd got off the same bus as me said something to the woman as she climbed out of the car but she ignored him, locked up and walked off into one of the buildings in the same row as the café, I think she had a key to one of them."

Cutting in again, Jo saw the same thrill course through Sam that she herself had felt. "Abi, what did the woman look like? Can you give me a description of her? How many doors down from the café was the building she entered? Anything you can remember about her will really help."

"She had shoulder length blonde hair, really dark sunglasses on and looked like she had a bad smell under her nose, really snooty looking, hard to tell her age she had that much makeup on. Probably a bit taller than you, Jo but then she was wearing heels – I noticed cos she was having trouble walking in them. And she was wearing a khaki green trouser suit that looked a few sizes too big for her, it was hanging off her. I thought it was a bit odd that a woman with such a flashy car would be so badly dressed. I'm pretty sure it was the door next to the café she went through, either that or just one door down, I know it wasn't far away."

"Ok, so what happened after you went into the café? Anybody seem to be particularly interested in you? Or Joey?" Jo asked, scribbling busily in her notebook.

"Not really, one woman made a bit of a fuss of Joey as she walked past on her way to the toilets and picked up one of his gloves on her way back, I didn't realise he'd even dropped it. She asked how old he was, said he was cute. That was about it really." Abi frowned as she wracked her brain trying to remember every detail, no matter how insignificant it had seemed at the time.

"I'll need a description of her as well. She may be completely innocent but I have to cover all eventualities."

"Early to mid thirties maybe, short curly brown hair, quite short, not much taller than me. I didn't pay much attention to her, she was just someone who commented on Joey. I think she was wearing blue jeans and a dark jumper, could have been brown or black. Sorry I can't be more specific." Sam squeezed Abi's hand supportively, listening keenly to her answer Jo's questions, feeling a little guilty for her earlier comment about Jo's abilities.

"What time did you go over to the prison?" Jo prompted, eager to keep the momentum going.

"Just before ten, five to I think or thereabouts. I saw Hugh, told him that I wasn't happy about taking Joey into the prison. He asked me to consider visiting with him once in a while so that he could see his son. He told me he was appealing against his sentence, I think that was the real reason he wanted me there so he could gloat." As Abi finished her sentence, Mickey popped his head around the curtain, asking Jo to step outside for a moment. Sam rose from the bed moving to follow the sergeant from the room.

"No Sam, you stay with here Abi, I promise I'll let you know everything I find out." Jo spoke earnestly to her lover, the grave expression Mickey wore concerning her. After receiving a grudging acquiescence from Sam, Jo exited following Mickey to a quieter corner of the corridor.

"These are the pictures from the tape. We've come up with a possible name for her – Lisa Carmichael, ring any bells?" Mickey handed over the grainy photos.

Jo studied them for a moment, murmuring the name to herself over and over before shaking her head. "No but I'll run it by Abi and Sam, see if they recognise the name or if she looks familiar." Pausing for a moment to see if Mickey would volunteer more, Jo prompted, "come on Mickey, I can tell you're holding back. What is it?"

"CAD called just as I got here. Uniform received a call this morning from some hysterical kids claiming they'd found a body. Emma and Leela are there now, it's the body of a IC1 male infant." Mickey watched his colleague's face turn ashen. "We don't know it's Joey," he attempted to reassure her.

"No but either way it's bad news for somebody." Jo leant against the wall, wondering how she was going to break the news to the two women waiting expectantly for her in the cubicle.

"You want me to talk to Sam and Abi?" Mickey placed a hand lightly on Jo's forearm, offering the only support he could, knowing how close the trio had become.

"No, it's the least I can do. I should have told Sam as soon as I found the footage, if she knows this woman…" Jo's hands balled into fists and for a moment, Mickey was worried she might lash out at the wall.

"Don't blame yourself Jo. We don't know anything for sure yet. It might not be Joey. And Sam wasn't in any frame of mind to be investigating this morning, you did the only thing you could do."

"Let me know when they've recovered the body. One of us will have to identify it." Jo's voice threatened to break as she addressed the real possibility of having to confirm Joey was dead. Taking a moment to compose herself, she thanked Mickey before turning and walking back into the cubicle clutching the photos to her chest.

"Are those the pictures? What did Mickey have to say? Are there any more leads yet?" Sam questioned her lover as soon as she rounded the curtain, reaching out to take the snaps from Jo's hands, frowning and squinting as she tried to make out clear features. "They're not very clear are they? Is this the best we've got?"

"Sam, sit down." Jo guided the blonde into the chair beside Abi's bed, perching in the gap between the two Nixon women, taking hold of each of their hands in her own.

"No!" Sam snatched her hand away, recoiling as she recognised Jo's expression, having delivered enough bad news to be able to make out the signs.

"Uniform were called to an area a few minutes ago, a report of a body. They've just called it in, the body of a white male infant has been found. That's all I know at the moment, I've asked Mickey to let me know as soon as it's recovered." Seeing Sam and Abi's distress threatened to shatter Jo's resolve, a lump forming in her throat and tears welling in her eyes as she watched Sam offer scant comfort to her distraught daughter.


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you sure you want to do this, Sam?" Jack asked the teary DI.

"Abi's in no fit state, she's been through enough already, I can't make her do this. I'm the only other family he's got." Sam drew in a deep breath, trying to calm her raw emotions and gather the strength to look at the tiny body laid out on the frigid gurney in front of her. Jo hovered nervously in the background, having insisted on accompanying her lover, averting her gaze from the minute covered form, refusing to accept that it might be Joey's body lying beneath the plastic sheet. The attendant drew the cover down revealing a gaunt, drawn face. Sam gasped, her hand reflexively covering her mouth. "It's not him. It's not Joey." Jo swallowed down her nausea, forcing herself to look at the body, needing her own confirmation. Bile rose as she looked down at the emaciated form of the tragic infant no more than a few weeks old. Drawing Sam to her body, enveloping her in a warm hug as much in need of the comfort it gave as to offer support to the blonde, Jo turned to leave pulling Sam along with her.

"Let's go give Abi the news, she needs to know her son is still out there somewhere." Jo was careful not to surmise that Joey was alive, knowing that until he was found nothing could be guaranteed.

"Jo, before you go, can I have a word?" Jack pulled the DS to one side eager to share the latest developments with her. Once out of Sam's earshot, the DCI filled Jo in. "We've got an address for Lisa Carmichael, I've sent Zain and Mickey over there to take a look around, have a word with the neighbours, keep up surveillance. I've made sure they know not to approach Lisa, not to try and talk to her, we don't want to spook her if she is there and risk losing her. I thought, with your skills and training, you might prefer to talk to her yourself?" Jack handed over a slip of paper with the address on.

"This is down by the river isn't it? One of those newly renovated places so popular with commuters? Any more news on who she is yet?" Jo spoke quietly, still aware of Sam's presence.

"She's a volunteer at Longmarsh prison, similar work to Tessa, drama workshops, teaching inmates to channel their frustrations and express themselves safely through drama, writing, that sort of thing. We're looking into the organisation she works for, seeing if there's any connection to Hugh Wallis. Apparently, Hugh has been paying quite an interest in the workshops – which with his background isn't that surprising – but it could have provided some point of contact for him to meet Lisa. She's been away from work for the last couple of months, on maternity leave. There are no hospital records of the birth taking place so either she hasn't had it yet…"

Jo cut in, "she didn't look pregnant on the tape."

"No she didn't which means she might have had the baby away from hospital." Jack looked pointedly towards the corpse lying on the sterile table in the adjoining room.

"You're thinking that might be her baby?" Jo frowned, becoming more disturbed rather than relieved by her conversation with Jack.

"The body was found dumped on waste ground less than half a mile from this address. We're treating it as a serious possibility, which would give her significant reason for abducting someone else's child – or possibly make her susceptible to Hugh's emotional blackmail. I've got Suzie looking into phone records for Lisa Carmichael, see if there have been any phone calls from the prison since she went on maternity leave. If Hugh is involved in this in any way, we'll find it."

"Give me a minute with Sam, Guv, let me go with her while she tells Abi then I want to get down there and talk to Lisa." Waiting for Jack to acknowledge her request, Jo turned on her heel, briefly filling Sam in on the latest news during their short walk back to the ward on which Abi lay grieving for the son she was sure she had lost.

After breaking the news to Abi, Jo made her excuses and left, ignoring Sam's pleas to let her tag along.

"No way, Sam. You're daughter needs you to be here with her. I promise, if Lisa has Joey, I'll bring him here as soon as possible." Briefly hugging Sam, brushing off her thanks, Jo strode out of the hospital to find Jack waiting in his car for her. "Let's go," Jo ordered as she closed the door and strapped herself in. The two officers rendezvoused with Mickey and Zain, listening as they fed back the details gleaned from neighbours, Jo's impatience showing in her frequent glances at the narrow building thought to be housing the young woman caught on camera.

"And you're sure she's inside? Any sign of anyone else with her?"

"No one else has been seen but we did see a woman matching Lisa's description talking animatedly on the phone by the top window there. She looked fairly highly strung from the way she was gesturing." Mickey supplied.

"Ok, let's not waste any more time then. Mickey, you and Zain keep an eye on the back in case she makes a dash for it, I don't want her disappearing. Jack, you mind if I take the lead on this?" Jo asked her superior, hoping her nerve would hold if their target had Joey.

"Go ahead." Jack followed in Jo's wake, positioning himself behind her as she rapped on the door firmly, commanding the attention of the building's occupants. The officers exchanged a glance as the sound of a baby's cry emanated from inside swiftly followed by a gruff voice yelling for someone to keep it quiet. A tall dark haired man answered the door as Jo was about to knock again.

"Yeah?" The man eyed them suspiciously, the door only held ajar inviting no entry nor further investigation of the home, his body language setting alarm bells ringing in Jo's head reminding her of a deer just before it bolts from it's prey.

Flipping out her warrant card, Jo introduced herself and Jack, rolling her eyes when the door was slammed in their faces. Her radio crackled into life as Jo stood back to let the uniformed officers accompanying them force entry.

"Sarge, we've got a woman making her escape along the tow path at the back of the house. She appears to be carrying a child bundled up in sheets. Over." Jo looked to Jack who waved her away signalling that he would co-ordinate a search of the house and detain the man they had met briefly.

"All received Mickey, keep her in your sights but do not, I repeat **do not**, approach her. Over." Jo spoke hurriedly into the two way radio as she dashed around the side of the building, feet pounding through puddles, cracking ice on the frozen ground as she went.

* * *

"Lisa, we just want to talk to you. Please, we just want to ask you a few questions." Jo caught up with Mickey, a little breathless from the chase but heart pounding more from fear as she watched the distraught young woman clamber over barriers onto a dilapidated old iron bridge. "My name's Jo. Would it be ok if I talk to you? Can I come a bit closer so we don't have to shout?" Jo waited for some response from the woman, turning to Mickey and Zain asking them to retreat further up the riverbank as a sign of trust. "See Lisa, just me, no one else." 

"You want to take him away, don't you?" Lisa called, gripping tightly onto the bundle in her arms.

"I want to know that he's ok. Can I see him? Just to check he's not hurt or sick." Jo cautiously approached the flighty girl, treading softly until Lisa began to back away. "Ok, I'm not coming any closer." Jo held her hands in front of her, standing the other side of the barriers warning of dangers ahead for anyone venturing onto the bridge. "Lisa, it's not safe to be on there and I'm sure you don't want anyone to get hurt, especially not the baby. Will you come back over here, talk to me on the path?" As if to illustrate Jo's concerns, the old metalwork issued an almighty groan, pitching slightly at the weight resting on it. Lisa's eyes widened as she shuffled slightly away from Jo, trembling as her gaze darted around looking for a means of escape.

"They took my baby once before, now you're here to do it again aren't you?" Lisa's teeth chattered as she spoke, a biting wind buffeting her where she stood above the raging river below.

"He's not your baby to keep, Lisa. Do you really want another mother to lose her little boy? No one should have to go through losing a child, you know how much that hurts. Don't make someone else feel that pain too, it won't make yours any less. He has a Mum and a Grandma who love him dearly and want him back desperately." Jo edged her way past the barriers, holding her breath as she stepped onto the rusting iron bridge, praying to whatever deity would listen that the old metal would hold their combined weight long enough to rescue Joey. "Come on Lisa, you're not a bad person, you don't want to hurt him. The longer you stay on this bridge, the greater the chance is of something bad happening. You don't want that do you? You don't want to hurt the baby?"

"I can't, he'll kill me." Lisa gripped the edge of the bridge as it swayed dangerously. Jo continued to close to distance between them almost imperceptibly. Her radio crackled into life making both women jump, Lisa in motion instantly scrabbling to jump from the bridge with Jo lunging to intercept her.

"We've got him Jo, Joey' safe. I repeat we've got him. He isn't with Lisa." Jack's voice barely was almost lost amidst the background noise as the creaking metalwork heaved and groaned, crumbling into the river below.


	10. Chapter 10

"I've got something here that belongs to you." Jack passed a slumbering Joey over to Abi whose face lit up with relief and delight at being reunited with her son. Sam cooed over the small child for a few moments checking him over and making sure he really was ok.

"Thank you so much Jack. Where's Jo? I take it she does know he's ok?" Sam looked around, expecting to see her lover arrive momentarily.

"Jo went after Lisa Carmichael when she ran down the towpath. Lisa had a bundle of sheets in her arms, we had no reason to believe it wasn't Joey she was carrying. Jo followed her onto a bridge, tried to talk her into giving herself and the baby up." The DCI struggled for words, the look of fear on Sam's face, he knew, would be forever etched into his memory.

"Where is she? What happened? Where's Jo?" As the questions poured forth, Sam's tone grew more hysterical, panic seizing her in a vice-like grip and refusing to let go.

"The bridge was condemned, it had been sealed off but Lisa got past the barriers and ran onto it. Jo followed. I'd just let her know that Joey was safe when Lisa tried to leap over the edge. Jo made a grab for her and pushed her to safety on the other bank. The strain was too much, the bridge collapsed into the river below. There's a team of divers on the way, but so far there's no sign of her. Lisa's in custody on her way to the station along with a man we also arrested at the house." Jack watched Sam slump back against the nearest wall, reaching out to her and guiding her into a seat.

"How far did she fall? Could she have survived?" Sam's voice was edged with a pain so raw each word sounded as though it was bleeding.

"The bridge was about fifteen feet above the water, there's always a chance she could have survived. The recent rain and snow had swollen the river, it was a pretty steady torrent."

"And icy cold. She'll be freezing. Jack we have to find her." Shakily, Sam rose to her feet, searching in her pockets for the car keys breaking into wracking sobs as she remembered Jo had driven them to the hospital. "It'll be going dark soon, we have to find her before then or they'll give up. She could be out there dying of hypothermia but they won't look once it's dark."

"Sam, listen to me, Zain and Mickey are there now, along with practically the whole uniform relief scanning the length of the riverbank looking for any sign of her. As soon as they find anything, they're going to let me know. There's no point in you chasing down there as well." Jack attempted to persuade Sam from leaving the hospital but found he was fighting a losing battle when Abi backed her mother having ventured from her cubicle to find out what was the matter.

"Mum, you've got to go and find her." Sam looked to Jack, who threw his hands in the air, knowing when he was defeated, and offered to drive the DI to the scene.

"How long ago did the divers get here?" Sam asked Gina as soon as she jumped out of the car.

"Only about ten minutes. They're just getting kitted up and ready to begin. They think there's about an hour of light left before they have to call it off for tonight." Gina offered Sam the facts, as pointedly and objectively as always, for which the DI was grateful, making it easier for her to remain focused and emotionally detached.

"Where are they starting?" Sam surveyed the fast flowing water, knowing that Jo could be anywhere up to a couple of miles downstream, the futility of the search washing over her but she shook off the melancholic thoughts with a steely determination to find her lover.

"The spot where the bridge collapsed. There was a lot of metalwork went into the water with DC Masters, they need to rule out that she was trapped under anything before widening the search." Gina indicated the remains of the bridge, very little of the structure having survived intact, some remnants just visible above the surface of the water. Sam stared down into the murky river, trying to block out images of Jo pinned to the river bed by tons of old iron, struggling to release herself, all the while the realisation growing that it was hopeless. Closing her eyes briefly, she shivered at the visions her thoughts conjured up before opening them again at the sound of a splash, ripples expanding outwards indicating the location of the diver's descent. Raising one shaky hand to her mouth, Sam traced the outline of her lips with her fingertips, concentrating on her last contact with Jo, the brief kiss they had shared as she raced off to rescue Joey.

"I love you, Jo Masters. Please be ok, please don't leave me on my own." Sam whispered, not caring if any of the other officers present heard her.

The search was progressing slowly with no sign of the detective's body, the hour of daylight slipping away too quickly for Sam's liking.

"Ma'am, we found this downstream." Emma Keane held a limp rag up for Gina's inspection, the colourful material catching Sam's eye.

"That's Jo's, she was wearing it earlier. Where exactly did you find it?" Sam gripped the saturated garment in her hands, never having been so glad to see the scarf, not ever having cared for it a great deal before but suddenly thinking it was the most beautiful thing she'd laid her eyes on.

"This way, Guv." Emma set off at a trot with Sam in hot pursuit, Gina rolling her eyes before following on behind, not sharing her probationer and the inspector's optimism but understanding Sam's need to think positively. "It was caught in the bracken just here." Emma crouched beside the river, pointing to the spot on the riverbank, the furthest point searched so far from the site of the collapse. In the dwindling light, Sam scanned the spot before sweeping her gaze down the river for any further flashes of colour or shapes that seemed out of place, wracking her brain for details of Jo's outfit. Seeing a small flat area a little way down on the opposite bank of the river, Sam squinted at a dark shape motionless on the beach, partially obscured by grass and riverbank foliage, trying to make up her mind whether it was a natural debris or whether it could be a human body. She set off running down the tow path, eyes never leaving the form for fear it would not be there when she looked back, heart hammering as she drew level, frustration growing as she realised she was still too far away to identify the form with any certainty in the gathering gloom.

"Jo? Jo, can you hear me?" Knowing she was grasping at straws, Sam called out to the shape on the opposite side of the river. There was no audible response and no movement leaving Sam frantically searching for a way across the river, needing to know if it was her lover lying so close and yet so unbearably out of reach, possibly gravely ill.

"I've just had word from the divers, they've been down to the wreckage, searched all round it thoroughly and from what they can see, there's no body trapped underneath it. That said, it's getting too dark down there to keep searching, the light's fading quicker than we hoped." Gina was taken aback by the wild-eyed stare Sam pinned her with.

"Is there another way across this river? A bridge near here? Preferably one that won't dump me in the water?" Sam paced the tow path, craning her neck in both directions looking for possibilities mentally gauging her chances of making it across the fast flowing expanse without being washed downriver.

"There's always the boat the divers are using, why?" Gina followed Sam's outstretched arm pointing towards her find. "Sam, I think that's just part of a tree come down with all the rain." The more Gina squinted at the shape, the less convinced she was, seeing Sam's point, the outer layer looking more fabric-like than wooden. Grabbing her radio, she called for the boat to be sent down the river to them, instructing them to search the opposite riverbank when they reached their location, frustrating Sam by not allowing her to clamber into the boat to inspect the shape herself. "This is Inspector Gold, can we have paramedics down here on standby just in case." Gina shushed Sam, assuring her it was just a precaution.

One of the men in the boat hopped ashore examining the large dark form, turning to his audience on the opposite shore holding up Jo's trench coat but giving a thumbs down. Panic momentarily seized Sam, thinking that he meant it was her lover but that the woman was beyond resuscitation. A voice crackled over the radio, "we need more people over here to search the woods. Looks like she's dragged herself out of the river and headed off into the trees. There are footprints in the mud leading into the wood and this jacket didn't climb onto the log by itself." The voice sounded annoyed at the thought of a wild goose chase through the miniature forest.

Grabbing Gina's radio, Sam barked into it, "this is DI Nixon from Sun Hill, get me over there now with a flashlight. DC Masters is my colleague and for all we know she could be injured. At the very least, she is likely to be suffering from hypothermia from the water which will leave her disoriented and confused. We need to find her before the temperature drops any lower." Gina took back the radio organising her troops into teams, sending Tony and Reg in the area car around the roads towards the back of the wood, hoping to head Jo off.

Sam led the way into the imposing darkness beneath the canopy of trees, calling out Jo's name as she went, leading other officers to do the same. They soon left the meagre daylight behind as they searched the densely wooded area for any sign of their colleague, spreading out to cover as large an area as was possible whilst still being within sight of one another. Sam strode on ahead of the group, trying to put herself in Jo's position, wondering where she might go and how rational her thought processes were likely to be given she must be dangerously cold and possibly injured from the fall into the river.

"Sierra Oscar 595 to DI Nixon." Tony's voice sounded loud in the eerily quiet darkness.

Grabbing the radio she had purloined from the pocket of her overcoat, Sam responded, "Go ahead Tony."

"We've found DC Masters, Guv. By the road on the other side of the trees, about half a mile up the river from where the bridge collapsed. We're going to need the paramedics." With little thought for her own safety, Sam raced through the undergrowth, calling for Gina to send the paramedics immediately to Tony's location, intent on reaching her lover's side, fearful of what she might find, so grave had Tony's voice been.

Sam sank to her knees beside the prone form of her lover, the brunette's skin devoid of any colour aside from the ugly scarlet gash oozing blood from her forehead. The blonde DI stroked a hand down Jo's face, tearing her own jacket from her body at the feel of her icy skin, wrapping the heavy woven garment around Jo's upper body hoping to nurture the tiny flicker of life still beating within her.

"Come on sweetheart, stay with me. Joey's safe, he and Abi are waiting for you at the hospital. You can't go anywhere yet, you promised me we'd get married once Joey was back with us." Sam stroked Jo's soaking hair away from her face all the while as she spoke to her quietly, offering her encouragement to keep her fragile grip on life, occasionally breaking off to check her pulse, struggling on each occasion to locate it but eventually finding it sluggishly beating. Sam looked up as the paramedics arrived, moving out of their way to allow them access to work on stabilising the deathly pale brunette.

"Ok, I'm getting no output from her. Start CPR."


	11. Chapter 11

Sam stretched in the chair, wriggling to try and get comfortable, unable to ease the aches from her muscles. Abi had been asleep when the blonde woman had returned to the hospital and she hadn't the heart to wake her, knowing that there was nothing it would achieve. The nurses had assured her that the moment Abi awoke, they would get word to Sam, until then she was free to maintain her vigil by Jo's bedside. She lapsed into a fitful light sleep once again, recalling the panic and terror she had felt as the paramedics fought to keep Jo alive at the river and on the short trip into St Hugh's.

* * *

"_One…two…three…four…five…" The paramedic paused the compressions on Jo's chest as his colleague squeezed the mask offering vital oxygen to their patient. He observed as the man placed two fingers against the woman's neck shaking his head slightly when he found no pulse. "One…two…three…four…five…" They repeated the same ritual a further three times before checking to see if there was any respiratory effort, needing to stabilise her before they could transfer her to the ambulance and begin the arduous task of warming her up. There was a blur of movement, the details escaped Sam as she watched, her full concentration on the words uttered at the third time of pressing his fingers against her neck._

"_Ok, we've got a pulse, it's weak but it's back…and she's breathing on her own. Let's get her a mask on her and into the ambulance. The sooner we can get her to the hospital the sooner she can start thawing out." Sam followed blindly, climbing into the back of the ambulance, strapping herself in on autopilot, her gaze never wavering from the woman still lying so pale and motionless on the trolley. The paramedic not charged with driving tightened a ligature around the top of Jo's arm, fighting to find a vein which had buried itself deep beneath the surface due to her severe hypothermia. The heart monitor sprouting from white discs on her chest beeped intermittently. Finally finding a vein, the medic inserted a butterfly needle attaching a bag of clear liquid and encouraging a healthy dose into Jo's body, opening a second valve on the shunt embedded in the crook of Jo's elbow, emptying a syringe into her vein also. Adjusting the oxygen mask to make sure it was providing sufficient air flow, the paramedic gathered his clipboard, seating himself next to Sam._

"_What's your colleague's full name, love?" His voice was tender and kindly, a man well used to dealing with frantic relatives and loved ones._

"_Joanne Alice Masters. Date of birth: fifth of April 1964." Sam's voice was husky partly from repeatedly shouting Jo's name during the search for her lover and partly from her anxiety._

_He smiled at her gently, thanking her filling in the relevant gaps on his form before asking, "Address?"_

"_55 Mountbatten Way, Sun Hill. SE5 6DJ."_

"_Ok, do you know the name of her GP and the surgery she's registered at?" He glanced at the monitor before returning his attention to the sheet in front of him._

"_Erm, Dr Davrille, The Oaks Surgery on High Street, Sun Hill. I don't know the phone number sorry." Sam grimaced apologetically, her own complexion losing its colour as the heart monitor started showing signs of an erratic rhythm._

"_Pull over Steve, she's in VF." Steve indicated, pulling into a bus stop a few yards further down the road. "I've lost the output again. I need you back here." Steve ushered Sam out of the ambulance as they worked on Jo, leaving her to pace nervously outside with no one to offer support or words of comfort.

* * *

_

After the paramedics had successfully delivered Jo to the hospital, doctors and nurses had worked tirelessly to stabilise the stricken sergeant, having to restart her heart on a further three occasions as warm saline was pumped into her veins to warm her slowly. Sam had been warned that Jo's condition was critical and that their first aim was to get her through the night before offering a longer term prognosis. 'Oxygen starvation', 'stroke', 'heart attack' and 'brain damage' had been introduced into the warning but Sam had been too overwhelmed to take in their context. She knew the situation was grave between the hypothermia and Jo's obvious head injury, vowing to have serious words with the sergeant about her heroic tendencies if she made it through this latest ordeal.

As she woke with a start, Sam whispered to the woman she adored lying motionless beneath layers of blankets and paraphernalia intended to warm her slowly, "Why did you try and save her Jo even though you knew Joey was safe? I can't keep doing this sweetheart; I can't keep almost losing you, it tears me apart. I need you, you make me whole." She drifted back into slumber, head resting on her arms propped on Jo's bedside, careful not to become entangled in the forest of wires and tubes surrounding the comatose brunette, dreaming of visions that she knew would haunt her for years.

* * *

_Sam watched through the heavy plastic swing doors at the blurry outline of her lover being revived yet again. She felt her own heart thud wildly in her chest as the medics shocked Jo._

"_Charging to 200. Stand clear." The comatose brunette arched off the bed as the current surged through her body._

"_Still in VF." One of the nurses announced as another bustled past Sam carrying numerous bags of clear liquid, one of which was immediately exchanged for the empty one on the stand beside Jo's head._

"_Charging again to 200. Clear." Again Jo's body jolted as the current was fired into her._

"_No change, she's still in VF. Another cycle?" The doctor in charge of the defibrillator nodded his approval._

"_Charge to 360. Everybody clear." Finally the monitor began to bleep in a more regular, healthy sounding fashion.

* * *

_

"How did the child come to be in your house?" Mickey sat back in his seat watching Jack question Lisa Carmichael, knowing his insistence on conducting the interview came from a misplaced guilt for Jo's condition.

"For the benefit of the tape, Miss Carmichael shrugged her shoulders," the young DC interjected, his own frustration mounting at the lack of co-operation.

"We have you on CCTV entering the café just after the child's mother and leaving later that same evening by the backdoor concealing something under your coat. After the explosion outside the café, my officers searched the building for the baby. He wasn't there. Neither were you. Where were you?"

"I must have already left by then." Lisa sneered at Jack, reigning her attitude in slightly when Jack slammed a photo down on the table in front of her.

"For the benefit of the tape, I am showing the suspect exhibit 3a. Look at the time on this printout, Miss Carmichael, this is several hours after the explosion. I'll ask you again, where were you just after the explosion when my officers searched the building?" Lisa sullenly refused to answer, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, ignoring the duty solicitor seated beside her.

"What did you mean earlier, when you told my colleague he'd kill you? Is that James King, the man we arrested at your house, were you referring to him?" Mickey tried a different tack, having overheard Lisa's final comment to Jo before she had tried to jump off the bridge.

"How is she? The woman from the bridge?" The question caught both men by surprise.

"She's critically ill in hospital. You could be looking at a charge of manslaughter if she doesn't make it, on top of the charges for abducting the baby." Jack answered honestly. "If you talk to us, we can maybe help. You don't strike me as the kind of person to get involved in something like this. We've spoken to your colleagues at the prison, they all spoke very highly of you, couldn't believe you'd consider taking a child off his mother."

"Shows what they know." The vitriol in Lisa's voice embittered her words. "They all see what they want to see, don't see what's right in front of them."

"What happened to your baby, Lisa?" Mickey tried to capitalise on her new found talkativeness.

"He was taken from me." Tears sprung to her eyes as she recalled her son.

"Who by, Lisa? Who took him?" Mickey persisted, leaning forward in his seat, resting his arms on the table, hands clasped together.

"I called for an ambulance but it never came. James told me I'd be sent to prison for killing him, that no one would believe it was an accident. I didn't mean to hurt him, he was my little boy but he wouldn't stop crying and then he did. He went so quiet and still." Tears flowed freely down Lisa's face, her arms cradling an baby only she could see.

"Did James take him away, after he stopped crying?" Jack probed gently. The young woman nodded, sobbing at the memory invoked. A knock on the interview room door caused Jack to let out a frustrated groan, the intrusion coming just as Lisa was beginning to offer them information.

"DS Hunter has entered the room. What is it Phil?"

"Guv, a quick word." Both detectives rose from their chairs, moving to follow their colleague out of the room.

"Interview suspended at 23.54." Mickey muttered into the tape before stopping the recording and exiting in Jack's wake.

"We've just had a phone call from Longmarsh. Hugh Wallis is climbing the walls. He and some other prisoners have taken four prison officers hostage in the rec room and won't let them go until Hugh sees Joey. He won't believe anyone that he's ok, says he has to see for himself. He's insisting that Sam take him there herself." Phil filled his colleagues in on the situation before asking, "you want me to have a word with Sam?"

"No, I'll do it. You take my place here with Mickey, we're just starting to get somewhere with her. Mickey can bring you up to speed but Phil, tread softly yeah? I know it's not your usual style but she's grieving for her own son. She's a victim too in all this."

"Tell that to Jo, or Sam for that matter who's sitting by her bedside worried sick that she won't pull through." Phil's temper sparked at the insinuation he couldn't handle the interview tactfully, his frustration at the situation finding a convenient escape route.

"Don't make me regret putting you in there Phil. You're a good officer when you use your head." Jack strode off before the DS could say anything further, grabbing his coat from his office before driving to the hospital.

* * *

"Sam?" Jack placed a hand gently on his DI's shoulder, reluctant to disturb her but knowing he had to talk to her about Hugh. A tousled blonde head shot off the bed, eyes wildly scanning Jo for any sign of change in her condition, taking in the readings off the monitors before registering Jack's presence.

"Jack what is it? What time is it?" Sam squinted at her watch, smoothing her hair down with shaking hands, knowing she must look a sight.

"I spoke to one of the nurses, they said Jo's doing well considering." Jack stalled for a few moments, acknowledging the officer lying unconscious in the narrow bed hooked up to numerous tubes and monitors. "Hugh Wallis has orchestrated a hostage situation at the prison and he won't negotiate the release of the prison officers until he's seen that his son is ok." Jack laid the facts out bare for Sam to digest.

"Talk to Abi, she's his mother, it's up to her whether Joey can be taken to see Hugh." Sam turned her attention back to Jo, glancing back over her shoulder as Jack made no move to leave. "What else?"

"He wants you to take Joey to the prison. He says he doesn't trust anyone else with his son's welfare. If you don't take him, the guards will be killed one by one until you do."


	12. Chapter 12

"He's bluffing, that's not Hugh's style." Sam refused to entertain the notion of leaving Jo's bedside, especially not for a man who had already caused untold damage to her family.

"Maybe not when you knew him, but prison can change people in all sorts of ways. These are family men he's holding hostage and whilst _he_ might not actually kill them, by all accounts his comrades won't have second thoughts. Most of them are serious lifers, one more death won't add much to their sentence anyway so they've got nothing to lose." Jack persisted. "I know you don't want to leave Jo and under any other circumstances I wouldn't ask you to. I'll drive you straight there, you can show Hugh that Joey is fine and I'll drive you straight back, no hanging around we can let the prison authorities deal with him."

"You really think it'll be that simple, Jack? Come on, this isn't about some sudden rush of paternal concern, we both know this is just an excuse to get me dancing to his tune again." Sam growled at her boss, conscience pricked by the thought of the guards' fates resting with her.

"At the end of the day, whether you like it or not, Hugh is Joey's father. Maybe seeing him behind bars will help you put the matter to bed, give you some sort of closure. Isn't he appealing his sentence? This isn't going to look too favourable on that application is it? Sam, please, Jo wouldn't want you to risk the lives of others, that's not what she's about."

Rising from her seat, ignoring the loud and lengthy protests of her muscles, Sam shoved her face in Jack's, hissing at him, "don't you dare try and use my feelings for Jo in this. I will go to the damned prison only because I can see I'll get no peace until I do, but only if my daughter agrees to it." Stalking from the room with Jack in her wake, Sam marched through the deserted corridors to the ward where her daughter and grandson slumbered soundly.

"Abi…Abi sweetheart, wake up."

Sam stroked a stray strand of hair from her daughter's angelic face, smiling in spite of the situation as she murmured sleepily, "just a few more minutes Mum, then I'll get up."

"No, now Abigail." Using her best authoritative motherly tone, as she had done so many times in the past, Sam instructed her daughter. "Come on Abi, I need to talk to you." As the young girl's focus slowly swam to her mother's concerned face, memories flooded her mind.

"Did you find Jo? Is she ok? Where is she, can I see her?"

"I'll fill you in soon, I promise. For now, I need you to listen to Jack." The DCI stepped forward, outlining the situation as thoroughly as he could in as short a time as possible.

"You've no choice Mum, you have to take him. We can't let Hugh hurt anyone else." Abi looked over to the cot where her son was sleeping, oblivious to the fact his existence was causing such a ruckus. "So what about Jo? Mum, at least tell me if she's alive!"

"She's hanging on, just. She's in ITU suffering from hypothermia, fractured ribs and a fractured skull. Her heart stopped a number of times and whilst they managed to get it going again, they're being pretty guarded about a prognosis. There's every chance she may have suffered some sort of brain damage either from the head injury or from the lack of oxygen, we won't know until she wakes up – if she wakes up." Sam's words trailed off as fresh tears sprung unbidden to her puffy, tired eyes, trickling over her cheeks made sallow by stress and lack of sleep.

"I'll get one of the nurses to wheel me down there, I can sit with her until you get back. She's a tough cookie, Mum and as long as she knows you're breathing she'll fight with everything in her to stay around. Now go, the sooner you get down to the prison, the sooner the situation will be resolved and you can be back by Jo's side, where you belong." Abi squeezed her Mum's hands in her own before summoning a nurse and asking to be allowed to sit with Jo for a while.

* * *

Jack and Sam both showed their badges at the gatehouse marking the entrance to Longmarsh prison, waiting for the guard to radio ahead to confirm their presence was authorised.

"Thank you for coming down so late, we really appreciate it. He's got some of my best officers in there, their families are frantic waiting for news." The governor a short balding man handed the two police officers visitor passes, instructing them to keep them visible at all times. He was not at all what Sam had expected, but then she surmised, it took all sorts and he seemed genuinely concerned about his staff.

"Where is Hugh Wallis? Let's just get this done shall we." Sam looked around her at the dismal prison, trying not to breathe too deeply as the scent of stale air and body odour assaulted her nostrils. She shifted Joey's weight a little, wondering if there was any change in Jo's condition.

"Of course, this way." The little man led them through a series of gates, a slow and arduous journey as each was unlocked and then re-locked in their wake. They arrived at the back of a large gathering of officers garbed out in riot gear, the governor asking for a path to be made so that Sam could move to the front. "They're all in there, the door's barricaded from the inside.

"So how is he supposed to see his son? Jack, I told you this was a waste of time." A bad feeling gnawed at the edge of Sam's mind, lurking in the shadows too slippery to grasp and put a name to.

"We're hoping, if he hears your voice, he'll come to the door and open it enough to see through, give you a chance to talk him into giving himself up."

"I'm not here to do your job for you Mr…" reading his identity badge, Sam continued, "Sandford, I'm here to do as Hugh asked, that is all. Once he has seen his son, the rest is down to you, I have somewhere else I need to be." Governor Sandford looked to Jack, a little taken aback by Sam's brash attitude.

"Is that the great Samantha Nixon I hear?" Hugh's voice sounded muffled and distant through the solid wooden door.

"I'm here Hugh, just like you asked. I have Joey right here with me. Come and take a look, see for yourself and then all this can be finished." Sam stepped forward towards the door, ignoring protestations from those around her.

"Just let me clear the door so you can come in." There were sounds of heavy objects moving in the room.

"That's not going to happen, Hugh." Jack's voice cut in, his stern look at Sam urging her not to go against his orders this time. She shook her head slightly but Jack was unsure whether she was admonishing him for interfering or reassuring him that she wouldn't put herself in danger. He could only hope that with her grandson's life also at stake, she would be more prudent in her decision making.

"Why don't you come out here and see him? No one is going to try anything while your mates have the guards in there." Sam reasoned, heart pounding as the door slowly opened wide enough for a slim person to sneak through. One of the hostages was thrust into view in the opening, a crudely made knife held to his throat.

"We've been trying to get hold of a trained hostage negotiator but so far no luck. Anyone you can recommend?" Sandford whispered to Jack, hoping he had some contacts who could be pressed into action.

"Ordinarily, I'd say yes. One of my officers, she's the best I know," Jack began.

"Well can't we bring her here?" Sandford interjected.

"If you know someone capable of performing miracles, yeah." At the man's bemused expression, Jack explained, "she's fighting for her life in St Hugh's after taking an impromptu swim rescuing Joey from the woman who abducted him earlier today." Glancing at his watch, Jack muttered, "technically yesterday now."

"At least meet me halfway. I'll come right to the door this side, you come to the door that side, you can see Joey through the gap here." Sam approached the door cautiously, muscles in her legs coiled ready to leap back if he made a grab for her or the baby.

"I need you to talk to Abi for me Sam, get her to agree to bring him in more often to see me."

"Hugh, will you agree to let the hostages go if I promise I will talk to you, one on one, tonight about getting Abi to bring Joey to see you regularly?" Sam looked into the eyes of the man she had once admired and trusted, seeing him looming so close making her heart thud wildly in her chest.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Hugh snarled at her, pushing his face right into the crack in the door.

"I've left someone I care very deeply for fighting for their life to come down here and talk to you because you asked me to be here." Echoing Jack's words from earlier, Sam stated, "your Joey's father, you have a right to see him." The blonde DI held her position against her every instinct as Hugh reached one hand out to touch his son's cheek. "Think about your appeal if nothing else, how will this look if you don't co-operate?" She implored him to consider his actions and their full implications carefully. The sound of a mobile ringing shattered the silence, Jack retreating around the corner as far from earshot as he could before answering the call.

"Ok, fine, I'll let them go. Tell them to back off, I'll clear the door and send the guards out one by one. Any sign of them pushing their way in and the deals off." Hugh retorted slamming the door closed making Sam step back to avoid being hit by it.

"You heard the man. Now we wait." Sam stood back allowing room for the guards to exit their prison once the doorway had been cleared. Jack appeared at her elbow, leaning in close to talk to her.

"That was the hospital on the phone…"

Sam spun on the spot, pinning him with a look filled with hope and fear in equal measures. "Jo?"


	13. Chapter 13

"She's waking up." Jack replied.

"I don't care what I said to Hugh, take me to her, Jack. I need to be at the hospital." Sam started walking away from the door behind which objects could be heard being dragged away, relief flowing through her like molten lava, thawing the icy fear which had gripped her core.

"It's not that simple, Sam. She's still very confused, she didn't recognise Abi, doesn't remember what happened…and she's asking for Tessa, whether anyone's let her know, whether she was hurt. She thinks she and Tessa are still together." Jack ran a hand over his chin, feeling day old stubble prickle his palm as he broke the news to Sam. He watched as her movements stilled and she stopped dead in her tracks.

After a long moment, she sighed, "I still need to be there, to hear what the doctors have to say. Even if she doesn't remember, my feelings are still the same for her." She tried to bite back the tears, her dilemma increasing as the door behind her opened and the first of the hostages was released. "Get me out of here… now before he realises something's wrong." Sam pleaded with her governor, unable to stop her bottom lip from quivering and a single tear from escaping down her cheek.

* * *

"Sarge, what are you doing here?" Jo hoarsely questioned Sam as she slipped quietly into the bay in which the brunette lay. Sam smiled sadly at the use of her old rank, a sure sign that many things were escaping Jo's memory.

"It's DI Nixon now, but always Sam to you." The doctors had warned Sam not to force too much onto Jo if she didn't remember it, that given time her memory might come back on its own.

"_How long will it take? Are we talking hours? Days? Weeks? How long?" Sam had pushed for an answer._

"_We can't possibly put a definite time frame on recovering Miss Masters' memories, indeed we can't guarantee that those lost will ever return. The brain is a remarkable but ultimately mysterious organ, DI Nixon. Sometimes, amnesia is a temporary state, to ease the sufferer back into waking life or to protect from a particularly traumatic event. Other times, it is a permanent and irreversible condition. At this stage, there really is no telling how Miss Masters will recover." The baby-faced neurosurgeon had informed her._

Sam was roused from her reverie by an awareness of expectant quiet in the small room, broken only by the monitors still tracing Jo's heartbeat. "I missed that, sorry."

"I said, since when did they make _you_ Detective Inspector? Is that what you get now for interfering in someone else's business and ruining a perfectly good working relationship?" Sam was at a loss how to answer that, unsure as to what Jo was referring. Deciding honesty was for the best, she bit the bullet.

"You've lost me, what did I do?" Mistaking Sam's confusion for insolence, Jo's temper flared. She struggled to pull herself up from the bed, falling back as pain and nausea washed over her, a coughing fit seizing her and stealing her breath for long moments.

When she had recovered enough to speak, Jo hissed, "Seth Mercer, that give you a hint at all? You lost me the best snout I ever had! Steaming in with your 'I-know-everything' attitude." Jo spoke through gritted teeth as the pain in her chest failed to ease.

"Are you ok? Want me to get a doctor?" Sam reached out instinctively, forgetting in an instant that Jo could not remember their relationship, soon recalling that little snippet as Jo recoiled from her touch.

"What the hell happened? Why will no one explain what I'm doing here? And where's Tessa?" Jo's heart rate began climbing in her distress. Hoping that removing herself from Jo's presence would prove to be a balm to the brunette's raw nerves, Sam made a move to leave. "See, you're just as bad as the doctors. As soon as I start asking anything they can't get out the door fast enough either." Sam turned to look at Jo, hearing the heart monitor begin to beep dangerously quickly.

"Jo, listen to me, you need to calm down sweetheart. There was an accident. You were on a bridge trying to stop a woman from jumping when it collapsed. We didn't find you for a couple of hours, you'd dragged yourself out of the river and wandered off into some woods. You've got multiple rib fractures and a fractured skull from the fall as well as hypothermia from being in the water and wet clothes for so long." Sam ignored Jo's confused expression at her insistence to soothe her, tenderly stroking her cheek with the backs of her fingers, hoping that if Jo demanded an explanation she could brush it off as platonic concern. After a few moments, Jo stopped struggling, her heart rate slowly descending to calmer levels once again. "Try and keep still, it's going to take a while for you to mend."

"Tessa's going to love having me under her feet full time, I don't think. How long before I can get back to work?" Jo asked, stifling a yawn. "Did you just call me sweetheart?" Her eyes narrowed a little as Sam retracted her hand sheepishly.

The blonde DI decided to ignore Jo's final question, not knowing how to answer it without having to explain the previous few months to her in detail. "Take each day as it comes, we'll see how you heal before deciding on anything. For now, you need to rest." Sam straightened beside the bed, conflicted as to whether to draw up the chair and stay or leave Jo alone to recuperate, her heart contracting at the thought of not being able to share the closeness she had come to rely on with Jo.

"You never told me how long you've been DI for. How did I miss that? Where's Neil? Come to think of it, who's the new sergeant in your place?" Jo's pulse began to climb once again as panic gripped her, searching her memory drawing more blanks than answers to her questions.

"Tomorrow we can talk about all that. For now you're exhausted and your body needs time to recover. I'm going to see if there's a doctor around to give you something to help you sleep." Sam turned to leave, her own pulse soaring as a familiar feeling hand wrapped itself around her wrist preventing her retreat.

"Please…don't leave me…I'm scared. Why can't I remember anything?" Sam perched on the bedside about to begin talking to Jo once again when the door swung open and a nurse entered to check Jo's obs, clucking at Sam and reprimanding her for exciting the patient before bustling off to find a doctor.

"You gave your head quite a battering, Jo. Add the hypothermia on top of concussion and you're bound to have a few gaps for a day or two. Give yourself chance to come round properly, everything should start slotting back into place in time." Sam smiled sympathetically at the worried detective, normally so strong, looking like a frightened child lying in the hospital bed. "Come on, you settle down and try to get some sleep. I'll sit with you 'til you drop off, if you like?" After receiving tentative agreement from Jo, Sam pulled the chair she had already spent hours in up to the bedside, settling herself in, holding onto Jo's outstretched hand. As Jo drifted off to sleep, Sam stared at the brunette's profile, trying to imagine not waking up beside her, never feeling the joy of lovemaking with her again, nor the simple pleasure of sharing a meal or curling up together on the sofa in front of a movie. Tears streamed down her face as she mourned the loss of the beautiful love they had shared. The nurse returned with a doctor in tow, inviting Sam to leave for a few hours while Jo rested, suggesting she herself might also benefit from some sleep. Instead the blonde DI made her way through the hospital in search of Abi, knowing that she owed her daughter some sort of explanation both about Jo and also Hugh.

"Mum, how's Jo? She asked who I was, was saying some really weird things, acted like she didn't know me at all, kept asking for that no-good two timing cow, Tessa." Abi was still wide awake when her mother slipped into the cubicle, pausing briefly beside Joey's cot to watch him sleeping.

"The bang on the head's making her a bit confused at the moment. Things are a bit fuzzy for her. We need to give her time to recover before we know anything for sure." Abi thought she heard the 'but' coming but Sam made no further effort to speak.

"But…? She does know Tessa dumped her for that jerk she works with right? That you and her are engaged? That you worship the ground she walks on? Tell me she does remember you, Mum." Abi swung her legs out from beneath the covers, patting the bed beside her inviting Sam to join her.

"Oh she remembers me alright… as the back stabbing, egotistical bitch who lost her a perfectly good informant because I wouldn't listen to what she was telling me. Beyond that… nothing." Fresh tears washed over Sam's cheeks as her daughter wrapped a loving arm around her shoulders.

"She will remember though, right? It's just temporary cos of the bang on the head yeah?" Abi asked, firing the questions rapidly, not able to begin to imagine losing a whole chunk of her memories.

"That's something only time will tell," Sam replied dejectedly.

* * *

"Phil, how did you get on with Lisa?" Jack spotted the tired-looking sergeant leaving the building as he arrived.

"Her brief decided that she was too emotional to continue after you left, said we had to let her get some rest and start again this morning. James King was off his head so he's sleeping like a log getting it out of his system before we can interview him. How did things go at the prison? Any more news on Jo's condition yet?" Despite having stayed to help out with the investigation long after his shift had ended, Phil was in no tearing hurry to get home, the emptiness in Cindy's absence taking some getting used to.

"Hugh agreed to let the hostages go when Sam promised to talk to him about getting Abi to agree to taking Joseph along to visit him regularly. The first three were released as agreed but by that time Sam and I were on our way back to the hospital. They called to say Jo had come round, Sam insisted on being with her instead of staying and keeping her promise to Hugh. When Hugh saw no sign of her, he kicked off again, ranting about not trusting her. His little fit sparked the tempers of the other prisoners. The riot mob went in to try and get the final hostage out but he was already dead by the time they got to him. I don't think Hugh's going to be getting out of there any time soon, he might not have stabbed the guy himself but he certainly contributed to his death." Jack explained, checking his watch and wondering if Sam would be in for her shift.

"I bet Hugh's real popular with the guards down at Longmarsh. But Jo's ok yeah? She up to visitors?" Phil asked thinking he could call in at the hospital on his way home.

"I think it's best if we wait and let Sam let us know when she's up to having visitors. I didn't actually see her last night, I just dropped Sam off, thought it best they have some time alone. Jo doesn't remember anything about what happened, or it seems from the few months before it either. When she woke up, she was asking for Tessa, she's convinced they're still together." Jack followed Phil's line of sight, watching as Sam parked her car in her usual spot.

"How's Sam doing? I mean, that must be pretty hard on her, being engaged to someone who doesn't remember you're even in a relationship." Phil lowered his voice as the blonde in question hauled herself out from behind the wheel and locked up, striding towards the entrance and both men.

"You know Sam, I don't suppose any of us will ever really know how she's dealing with it." Jack replied as Phil raised his chin in greeting to his colleague and friend.

"Morning Guv. How's Jo?"

Sam looked from one expectant face to the other before answering. "I phoned the hospital this morning, they said she's had a comfortable night whatever that means. Her parents have arrived so at least there's someone with her."

"Jack was telling me it's affected her memory. Can she remember anything?"

"I don't have all the answers at the minute Phil. It was late last night when she woke up, I didn't talk to her for long. She wasn't too happy when she saw me, her last memory of me is my scaring off Seth Mercer. The doctors are planning on doing more tests today, I'll call in after my shift, see how she is." Sam signalled the end of the conversation, continuing her walk into the station, feeling her brittle emotions threatening to crack. She hadn't slept for more than an hour after finally leaving the hospital, her bed feeling alien and empty without Jo's comforting warmth beside her. By 5am, she had given up all hope of sleep, gathering her sports bag and heading to the gym for a brutal workout before dashing home to shower and change ready for work.

* * *

"Mum! Dad! When did you get here?" Jo struggled to pull herself into a sitting position, falling back against the pillows as her mother placed a hand on her shoulder, discouraging movement, and a wave of nausea and pain swept through her head and chest.

"About an hour ago. How are you feeling?" Alice Masters fussed over her daughter, rearranging the covers on the bed before smoothing Jo's hair back from her face and clasping a bruised hand between her own.

"Apart from the gaping great holes in my memory, I feel just peachy." Jo wise-cracked, made nervous by her parent's obvious distress. "How did you find out I was in here? Tessa's the next of kin on my file at work, only cos she lives closer. Did she call you, have you spoken to her? Is she here with you?" Jo's head whipped round as the door to the ward opened, her disappointment clearly reflected on her face as she watched a nurse walk to another bed.

"No honey, we haven't spoken to Tessa. We don't know where she is. Sam let us know what had happened, she told us how poorly you were." Alice spoke quietly, wishing she could reawaken her daughter's memories, never having seen her as happy as she had been over the previous three months with Sam. It was hard to accept that as far as Jo was concerned, she had never known that happiness.

"Why isn't she here? You'd have thought she could have at least nipped in to see if I was ok, she is my girlfriend after all. Nice to know I mean that much to her." A tear slipped across Jo's cheek, feelings of hurt and betrayal swelling inside her chest making breathing difficult. She coughed violently fighting to draw breath, excruciating pain knifing through her as her ribs objected.

"I'll fetch a doctor." Jo's father, George, hurried from the cubicle, catching the attention of the first nurse he encountered, indicating Jo's distress and making clear he wanted someone to take a look at her immediately.

"It's ok honey. Don't worry your head about Tessa now. You just concentrate on getting better. Joanne, I was thinking that maybe when they let you out of here, you can come back up to Manchester with your dad and me, just for a week or two while you get back on your feet?" Alice attempted to divert Jo's attention, concerned by the rasping cough that had taken hold of her and the thin sheen of perspiration that covered her skin – the hallmark of a fever if ever she had seen one.

"Is Tessa… she wasn't… was it her, on that bridge?" Jo spoke breathlessly, ignoring her mother's invitation.

"No, no it wasn't Tessa you were trying to stop from jumping. Listen, sweetheart, you've got to concentrate on yourself, stop worrying about Tessa. Truth is, she's not been around for a while now. You probably don't want to hear this right now, but she wasn't good enough for you anyway, she didn't make you truly happy…" Alice bit off 'not like Sam does' before she gave voice to her thought, knowing she must let Jo remember her relationship with Sam in her own time. In the brief conversation she had had with her daughter's fiancée that morning, it appeared Jo could remember nothing of the close friendship and deep sensual bond the two women shared.

"Come on love, let's give the doctor some space while he checks Jo over." George led his wife from the ward, leaving their daughter in the hands of the medics bustling around her, exchanging worried glances as they listened to her chest.


	14. Chapter 14

"Morning Lisa, how are you feeling this morning?" Mickey asked as he and Jack seated themselves across the table in the interview room ready to resume where they had been forced to abandon the previous night.

"For the benefit of the tape, Miss Carmichael shrugged her shoulders." Jack supplied. "Now Lisa, we've recovered the body of a baby from a patch of waste ground near to your house. We believe that this body belongs to your son and we'd like to take a sample of DNA for comparison. Will you consent to that?" Lisa looked to the duty solicitor by her side who nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Yes." The young woman spoke quietly, eyes downcast studying the table top.

"Is James the baby's father?" Mickey asked as Jack leant back in his seat.

Lisa shook her head before answering verbally, "no, I only got together with him a month ago when he got out of prison. I don't know who the father is." Jack indicated for Mickey to retrieve the DNA sample before questioning continued.

"Do you now or have you ever taken heroin?" The DCI asked as Mickey re-seated himself having handed over the swab to a uniformed officer with instructions to get it to the lab as a priority.

"No why? If you found anything in the house, ask James about it, that's more his style." Lisa answered averting her face, sounding slightly bitter about her boyfriend's past.

"There had to be a post-mortem on the body we found, we needed to establish cause of death. The blood tests threw up some surprising results. There were large amounts of heroin present in the baby's blood, a high enough dose to kill him. Residue was found in his stomach contents too. If it does turn out that this is your son, unless you knowingly and deliberately fed him the drugs, you couldn't have killed him." Jack outlined, knowing that it was harsh for a mother to hear such explicit details but hoping it might crack her resolve not to talk. "So should we be asking James about that too? How did he get on with your son? Did he take to the baby?" The detectives could see the young mother struggling to check her emotions.

"He hated him crying. He made up Wayne's bottle before he died, said maybe that would make him quiet. I thought he just meant that if we filled his stomach he might finally sleep. Did he kill my baby?" Lisa's gaze swung between Jack and Mickey, eyes wild and watery. "I can't believe I let him anywhere near my boy. He can be so sweet and caring and I know he wants to get off the gear but it's hard for him, all his friends are into the scene. He told me he'd fix it, after Wayne died, that he knew where we could get another baby. I wasn't thinking straight, I just wanted my boy back so badly." Tears streamed down Lisa's face as she recounted how she had become involved in Joey's abduction. "That young girl, the baby's mother, she didn't want him. I could tell by the way she was looking at him in the café. James said he'd create a distraction so I could take off with the baby and no one need ever know. Then the car exploded. I just froze, dived under the nearest table for cover like everyone else. I panicked when I saw everyone lying there, I wheeled the buggy out to the back of the café. Everyone was too shocked to pay me any attention and his mother wasn't in any fit state to protest. I left by the backdoor and went in the building next to it. James was waiting for me in there, he'd made sure the door was open so I could get in."

"And the other woman, the one who'd dropped the car off?" Mickey interjected as Lisa quietened down.

"What other woman? James drove the car to the bus stop – or at least that's what he told me." The young woman supplied, a frown creasing her brow as she suspected her partner hadn't been honest with her.

"We have several eye witnesses who say it was a woman driving the car. Tall, blonde, heavily made up, ring any bells?" The DC asked, hoping to capitalise on their suspect's newfound chattiness. Lisa shook her head in response her frown deepening.

"For the benefit of the tape, Miss Carmichael is shaking her head. How did James know where the baby would be?"

"He still has friends in Longmarsh. There was some guy in there apparently mouthing off about having raped the daughter of a local police officer and got her pregnant and that he'd actually got her to agree to bring the baby in to see him. For specific details, I'm afraid you'll have to ask James. He didn't tell me and I didn't ask. All I wanted was the baby and I was so scared you'd come knocking having found Wayne. I thought if I replaced him quickly, I could pretend this new baby was Wayne. I realise it must sound stupid but I was grieving… I still am. I thought I was responsible for killing my boy."

* * *

"I'm afraid Joanne has developed a chest infection from the water she inhaled. We've started her on a course of intravenous antibiotics and we're hopeful that she'll respond quickly to the treatment. She's asking to see you both but it really is imperative she gets plenty of rest if her body is to recover from this. The CT scan also showed a significant amount of bruising around her brain but no sign of any bleeding into the actual brain or blood clots which is a positive sign. Until the contusions heal, we really can't tell if the memory loss will be a permanent feature. Her temperature is slightly raised as a result of the infection but she is stable for the time being." The middle-aged doctor addressed Alice and George who had been nervously awaiting the results of their daughter's tests, having been banished from her bedside for over an hour whilst the brunette was scanned, x-rayed and poked with needles.

"Thank you doctor, we'll do our best not to disturb her too much." George thanked the woman before guiding his wife back into the cubicle where their only living child lay still seriously ill.

"Now then young lady, you're not to talk so I don't want to hear a peep out of you. Your dad and I aren't planning on going anywhere so there's plenty of time to chat and catch up on news once you're better. For now, you sleep." Alice kissed her daughter's forehead as she lay propped up against pillows, partially raised in an effort to prevent the chest infection from developing into pneumonia. She pulled up a chair and settled herself in for a long wait, George mirroring her actions on the opposite side of the bed.

* * *

"See here, this person matches the eye witnesses' descriptions of the driver of the car. But, look closely at the face." Mickey rested against the desk watching his governor study the image frozen on the screen in front of him.

"Is that James King in drag?" Jack's voice was incredulous.

"Well at least he wasn't lying to Lisa, for once!" Mickey quipped.

"Good work Mickey. Anything of him leaving?" Jack turned to face Mickey, impressed with the DC's effort given how exhausted he must be having stayed so late the night before.

"Not yet Guv but we know from Lisa an approximate time he left so it shouldn't take too long to find. Has this building been searched yet?" Mickey tapped the doorway on screen into which James disappeared.

"Yes but it didn't turn anything up. As soon as Abi Nixon mentioned that's where the driver had gone, Jo arranged for uniform to go in there and turn the place inside out. Let me know when you find footage of him leaving. We need to know if he changed clothes, if he had a bag with him, which way he was headed. See if anyone else arrives at the flat too."

"I had another look at the footage from the back of the café too. Neither of the doors are shown on it, just the exit to the courtyard which both open onto. Lisa could have come from either of the buildings and it would have looked the same on the tape." Mickey toyed with the remote in his hand, feeling as though they were missing something. "Do you really think this is someone's way of getting at Hugh?"

"I don't know, maybe he was getting too big for his boots and someone wanted to take him down a peg or two. He doesn't really strike me as the sort of man who would brag about raping the daughter of an officer though. And he certainly had some influential friends with him last night. Why, what are you thinking?"

"That maybe Hugh set the whole thing up. Maybe he really is behind this. Lisa might not necessarily know the truth of how James came to know of Joey's existence."

"But what would his motive be? He's about to appeal his sentence, why would he jeopardise that by organising to have his own son abducted?" Jack queried.

"I don't know Guv, maybe he knows his appeal will get him nothing. Maybe Sam's right, maybe he just likes winding her up." Mickey suggested.

"If that's the case then he's scored a hat-trick; injuring Abi, having Joey kidnapped and almost getting Jo killed into the bargain."

"Maybe we could use that to our advantage. He doesn't know about Jo, about how much that is upsetting Sam. If he found out about their relationship, and the fact that she's in hospital after trying to save his baby, he might try to organise something else, to make sure Sam's really suffering. I mean, it'd be a bit of a blow to know that she's batting for the other team now wouldn't it? Might make him lash out at her in the way he knows hurts her most– by getting at those she loves."

* * *

Sam slammed the newspaper down in front of Jack having breezed into his office without knocking. "Were you planning on telling me about this? Who wrote this? They're basically accusing me of killing that prison officer."

"I've been interviewing Lisa Carmichael this morning but I would have preferred to talk to you about the situation at Longmarsh before you read this, yes. Take no notice of what this rag says, you know they're always looking to blame us for anything that goes wrong." Jack attempted to placate the enraged DI.

"But they do have a point don't they, Jack? If I'd stayed and kept my promise to Hugh, that man would still be alive and his kids wouldn't be facing burying him." Sam strode over to the window, gazing through the slatted blind without seeing the outside world. "Maybe it's for the best that Jo can't remember our relationship if it means I jeopardise other people's lives because of my feelings for her."

"You don't mean that Sam. Give yourself time to come to terms with what's happened. There's still every chance that Jo will recover fully, including getting her memory back. Do you really want to throw away a chance of happiness because of what one reporter has written?" Jack rounded his desk but stopped short of reaching out to Sam, never having had that kind of relationship with her.

"It's not just that. I always promised myself that I'd never bring my personal life to work with me. Working with Jo, I can't keep the two separate. It kills me every time she goes out on a shout in case she doesn't come back. I was kidding myself to think we could work together." A tear trickled down Sam's cheek as she addressed the real reason she had stormed into the DCI's office. "If Jo comes back to work, when she comes back, I think it will be better if I'm not here. I want to put in for a transfer Guv."


	15. Chapter 15

Sam swiped the tear from her cheek before turning to face Jack. "If there's to be any hope for our relationship, I can't keep doing this; worrying about her all the time, trying to cherry pick which cases she works on so she won't be put in jeopardy."

"I wont hear of it, you're one of the best officers on this team. I've just lost Neil, I can't afford to lose you as well. You're a great DI, the team respect you and look to you for leadership. You've never shown any signs of favouritism towards Jo before now, why will it be any different when she comes back? Do you really think she'd let you wrap her in cotton wool? Not a chance. She'd be in here quicker than you could say 'restricted duties' bending my ear until I sorted you out." Jack smiled as he remembered previous 'discussions' he had had with Jo in her early days on the team when Neil had attempted to sideline her to an extent, making his dislike of her apparent.

"Maybe before this Jack, but I can't promise I'd want to let her out of my sight. Having come this close to losing her, I can't even contemplate sending her out there to do it all over again."

"I'm sure this is something you feel strongly about at the moment but just take some time to consider your request before making it official. Once Jo is properly on the mend, you might feel differently." Jack broached the subject of his conversation with Mickey earlier in the day. "I don't suppose this is a good time to run something by you then."

"Run what by me? Jack, I don't like the way this sounds." Sam focused all her attention on her immediate boss.

"Mickey suggested a way we could test Hugh, to see if he's involved in Joey's abduction in any way, but it involves using Jo to lure him into trapping himself."

"Absolutely not, no way in the world. Jack, she's lying in hospital still in a critical condition. She's utterly defenceless. How do you plan on protecting her? Not that I want to know since it's irrelevant. I'm officially her next of kin. You can't do anything without my consent." Sam raged, pushing her face into Jack's to ensure he got the message loud and clear.

"Hear me out and then make your mind up Sam. If we can prove Hugh was behind all this, he will be behind bars for the rest of his life, well away from you and Abi and Joey so you'll never have to feel his poisonous presence again." Jack pleaded, knowing it was likely to fall on deaf ears, unsurprised when Sam stormed out of the room, slamming the door in her wake.

* * *

"Sam, I'm so glad you came." Alice rose from the chair beside Jo's bedside, reaching out and pulling the petite blonde into a warm friendly embrace.

"How is she?" Sam looked at her lover's slumbering form, so still and serene.

"Sleeping a lot. The doctors say she's got a chest infection from the water. She has a long way to go before she's out of the woods but she's rallying round. How are you dear? You look exhausted."

"You have a remarkable daughter, Alice." Sam smiled kindly, brushing off the concerns for her own welfare. "It's getting late, have you given any thought to where you're staying?" The DI asked, knowing the trip had been hurriedly arranged once Sam had placed the call to Jo's parents.

"Not really no, we just hopped in the car and here we are love. Don't you worry about that though, we'll sort ourselves out with somewhere, bound to be a bed and breakfast nearby that has a room free." Alice patted Sam's hand lovingly, all the while peering at her with a mother's concern. "Have you eaten today? How much sleep did you get last night? How's your daughter?"

"Alice love, give the girl time to breathe!" George admonished his wife with a gentle chuckle.

"It's ok George, really it is." Sam answered with a genuine smile, feeling the same sense of belonging she always did in their company, heart wrenching as she realised how much she stood to lose if Jo never remembered their bond. "I ate earlier, my colleagues made sure of that. Abi's doing well, I'm taking her home tonight. I was thinking that maybe if you liked, you could stay at my place. The spare room is there for as long as you need it, you know you're more than welcome any time."

"Oh Sam, you're a sweetheart for offering but we really couldn't put you out, not when you have so much else on your plate." Alice clucked, noticing that Sam had avoided answering her on the sleep issue once again.

"Nonsense, I'd be happier knowing you were somewhere safe and clean. Plus that way, you wouldn't be tied to times for getting back, you could spend as much time here as you wanted. You could have Jo's key and come and go as you please. Besides, it's always a pleasure spending time with you, I just wish we could have got together in less traumatic circumstances." Sam explained honestly.

"So do I love, so do I. Well, when you put it like that, how can we possibly refuse?" Alice responded, wrapping one arm around Sam's waist. "My goodness young lady, you've lost too much weight. At least if I'm going to be staying with you for a while, I can make sure you eat properly and get a decent amount of rest." Sam rolled her eyes and grinned at George over Alice's shoulder as she was swept up into another hug.

"I was hoping you'd agree. I took the liberty of bringing the key with me, just come back whenever you're ready, treat the place like your own. I also brought in a few bits from home for Jo; a book, a change of clothes, underwear, toothbrush and toiletries, that sort of thing." Sam indicated the plastic carrier bag she had deposited beside Alice's chair upon entering the room. "I also brought this, thought it might give Jo some comfort." Stooping, Sam pulled out the photo of Jo and her brother that the blonde had had restored following Tessa's savage desecration of the house she had shared with Jo. Sam had presented the newly restored photograph, complete with tasteful elegant frame to her lover at their engagement party. She smiled as she remembered Jo's ecstatic, overwhelmed reaction, a flush creeping over her cheeks as she recalled how she had wondered if Jo would stop short of making love to her in front of the audience of friends and family so eager had she been to show the petite blonde her gratitude.

"I'm sure she'll be chuffed, Sam. She had her wotsit brain scan this morning; a lot of bruising but no bleeding or clots so we'll see how she is after the swelling goes down. Can you stay for a while? George can fetch us some coffees if you like?" Alice motioned Sam into the chair she had vacated.

"No coffee for me thanks. I can stay just a few minutes, then I have to go get Abi, I don't want to keep her waiting." Sam sank into the plastic covered chair, her body protesting as muscles screamed at her for their early morning punishment.

"Guv, here again? People will talk." Jo quipped weakly trying to ignore the flicker of joy she felt at Sam's presence, pushing it out of her mind determinedly.

"Hey Jo, I didn't realise you were awake." Sam reached out instinctively, squeezing Jo's hand between her own. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a cross between a pin cushion and a zoo exhibit; being poked and prodded so much I swear I'll spring a leak soon and then everyone watching me but looking away when I look at them." As if challenging Sam to do the same, Jo locked eyes with the DI, holding her gaze until finally exhaustion caused her to blink.

"That bang on the head didn't knock the stubbornness out of you then." Sam commented, immensely cheered by the fire she had watched spark in Jo's eyes as they had stared one another down, hopeful that it might mean some of the connection they shared still lingered.

"Mum can you ask the doctor to knock off whatever he's giving me for the pain? It's giving me some really weird dreams – I could swear I heard DI Nixon offer you a room at her place while you're down here." Alice shifted a little uncomfortably. Sam jumped in to rescue her from her discomfort.

"I did, you weren't dreaming." As the trio wracked their brains to try and come up with a feasible explanation, Jo jumped in.

"Why? Why would you do that? And how did you get into my house to get these for me?" The battered brunette searched her limited memory banks as she surveyed the book and clothing, drawing more blanks than finding answers, growling with frustration at her inability to recall any of her recent past.

"After Tessa left you, there was an incident at your house. It wasn't safe for you to stay there any more… so you've been staying with me." Sam opted on a brief potted version of the truth, skipping any reference to their growing bond. Jo looked to her mother, as though not believing she could take Sam's word for it. As Alice nodded almost imperceptibly, Jo frowned, battling to keep her tears from falling, determined not to show any sign of weakness in front of Sam.

"I don't remember that," she whispered, her sorrow rendering her voice child-like and timid.

"Give it time, everything should start to come back to you. I'd better go and get Abi. I'll call in again soon to see how you're getting on. You take care of yourself and don't go giving the police a bad name, you behave in here ok?" Sam joked gently, not wishing to upset the delicate balance of Jo's health by pushing too hard, too soon. She rose from her seat, smiling supportively at her lover and giving her hand one last squeeze before turning away and walking towards the door.

George followed her into the corridor as his wife settled back in the seat Sam had vacated, setting about unpacking the bag of Jo's belongings into the locker beside her bed. As Sam and George watched them through to doors, he placed a gentle hand on the petite blonde's arm. "You two are two halves of the same soul, any fool can see that. Fate works in very mysterious ways, but you found your way to one another once and you will do it again whether or not Joanne remembers. Just have a bit of faith and patience."

* * *

"Mum, please I just want to come home with you, to Manchester. How can I live with DI Nixon? I barely know her and what I do know of her I'm not sure I overly like. Every time we're together we end up bickering and sniping at one another. What on earth possessed me to move in with her? How desperate was I?" George overheard his daughter pleading with his wife as he re-entered the room. 


	16. Chapter 16

"Joanne, if you come back with us, it will only be for a week or two. You can't run away from your life here. You've worked too hard and long to throw away everything you've achieved with the Met." Alice tried to reason with her head-strong daughter.

"I can transfer to the Greater Manchester Police. What's the point in having achieved so much if I'm not happy and don't remember half of what it is I'm supposed to have achieved?" Jo wheezed as she fought to contain her tears.

"Now you listen to me young lady; I didn't raise you to be a coward. You're stronger than this. You've been so happy here, especially these last few months and I know you don't remember that right now but hiding away from all that is familiar won't help the memories come back. Come back home to recuperate by all means, but once you're back on your feet, you're coming back even if I have to throw you in the car and drive you here with you screaming all the way. Do you understand me?" George spoke quietly but directly to his baby girl, his heart hurting from being so harsh but knowing he had to be for her own sake. Jo looked to her mother for support but found her resolutely and steadfastly agreeing with her husband. Knowing when she was beaten, the brunette nodded meekly, her energy already sapped by the short foray into wakefulness. "Right, well that's settled then. As soon as you're fit to be discharged, we'll get you home for some R & R. For now, you go back to sleep sweetheart."

* * *

"Am I glad to see you, Mum!" Abi hauled herself out of the chair she had been waiting in, hugging her mother before holding her at arms length to examine her. "Have you seen Jo today? How's she doing? Have you slept at all? You look exhausted." Joey keened softly in his carrycot as though agreeing with his own mother.

"Let's get you home shall we? Jo's doing a bit better, she has a chest infection but seems to be responding to the antibiotics. Her mum and dad are going to stay with us while they're down here. They'll be along later, I've left Jo's key with them. Did they feed you before turfing you out? Or do you fancy grabbing a takeaway on the way home?" Sam offered, not fancying the prospect of having to create a meal when they arrived home.

"I'll make us something, don't worry about food. I'm all set if you're ready. The sooner I'm out of here the better, I hate hospitals." Abi gathered together her belongings, arguing good-naturedly with Sam about who would carry Joey. Finally conceding to the older woman, Abi trailed her out of the hospital, more than ready to be heading home, looking forward to a night in her own bed.

* * *

Phil slammed a third photograph onto the table in front of James King. "Don't mess me about, we know this is you. Where did you get the explosives from? Did you nick the car yourself? How long had you been following Abigail Nixon? How did you know where she was going to be?" Phil paused between each question, waiting for some response from the detainee. When none was forthcoming, the sergeant let out a frustrated sigh and pushed back in his seat.

"Do you know the man in this photograph?" Suzie asked, pushing a mug-shot of Hugh across the table.

"Yes." James uttered stubbornly.

"How do you know him?" The oriental DS pushed.

"From prison," was the only response.

"How well do you know him? I mean, do you know his name? Did you talk to him in prison?" Suzie persisted, leaning forward, hands clasped in front of her.

"His name's Hugh Wallis, as you well know – he did work for you. I talked to him about as much as I talked to anyone inside – spoke when spoken to, that's all." James' eyes darted nervously round the room, foot tapping up and down in constant motion.

"Is that so? Well that's interesting cos we have witnesses who tell us you and Hugh were best buddies, always in each other's cells, heads bent together talking. So what did you find to talk about that kept you so vocal for six months?" Phil took up the reins from Suzie, his interest piqued by James' non-committal response to knowing Hugh.

"The usual; the weather, politics, judiciary system, that sort of thing." King answered cockily.

"He tell you about his family did he? About getting the daughter of a local detective pregnant?" Phil pushed, his disdain for the individual before him increasing exponentially each time he opened his mouth.

"He might have mentioned her, yeah."

"Did Hugh upset you before you left Longmarsh?" Suzie asked, resting back in her seat.

"No."

"So why kidnap his kid?" Phil shouted at the arrogant prisoner.

"The baby is Hugh's? Oh I never knew that." King's plea was obviously insincere, a smirk adorning his face.

"You think Hugh would be happy if we let slip to him that it was you who took the baby? I'm sure a man like Hugh has made some very interesting friends in prison – some maybe who wouldn't think twice about messing up the likes of you." Phil rose from his seat, incensed by the sheer smugness on display.

"Phil!" Suzie warned as King's solicitor intervened.

"Detective Sergeant, that sounded dangerously close to being a threat to my client's wellbeing. I suggest we take a break so that I can discuss matters further with Mr King and you can cool off."

"Interview suspended at 19.36." Phil barked into the recorder before marching from the room, Suzie trailing in his wake.

* * *

"You okay Mum?" Abi placed the plate of food in front of Sam, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder as she watched the older woman lost in her own thoughts.

"Mmm, sorry love. This looks great, thanks. You didn't have to cook on your first night home." Sam picked up her fork, toying with the meal before her.

"Eat whatever you want, leave the rest. It's the least I could do for you – you're always there for me, no matter what sort of mess I get myself into. I know I haven't always shown it, but I do appreciate everything you do for me, Mum. If I can be even half the mum to Joey that you've been to me, I'll be happy." Abi seated herself across the kitchen table from Sam, smiling encouragingly at her, sensing that there was something bothering her. "So what's on your mind?"

Sam took a moment, chewing a mouthful slowly and deliberately as she debated whether to tell Abi about Jack's plan to snare Hugh.

"Come on Mum, you know you're not going to sleep unless you work through what's got you so pre-occupied and you really do need to sleep." Abi prompted gently, taking a healthy mouthful of her own dinner.

"I went to Jack today to ask for a transfer, to another station, somewhere away from Jo. I can't be around her and not let my feelings show. If I stay at Sun Hill, when she comes back, I know I'll treat her differently. From what she remembers of me, that will only serve to drive a bigger wedge between us, I'm not that masochistic to want to stick around to see her grow to hate me." Sam put her fork down on the plate of largely untouched stir-fried vegetables and seasoned rice.

"Did Jack accept your request? You're already talking as though Jo's never going to remember. What if you transfer and then she regains her memory? How do you think that will make her feel, knowing you'd rather run away than stand by her? Mum, you're engaged to her – for better, for worse, those vows mean anything to you? You can't just walk away now, you're no quitter. I've never seen you so settled and happy. If she doesn't remember what you had, that doesn't mean to say the feelings aren't still there. She's told me so many times that she was attracted to you from when she first came to Sun Hill – that's part of the reason she took the Seth situation so badly, she was trying to mask the fact that she could forgive you anything. If you're really serious about wanting to spend the rest of your life with Jo, you need to stick it out and fight for her – show her why she fell for you in the first place." Abi spoke earnestly to her mother, not used to seeing her back down from any challenge.

"It's irrelevant anyway – Jack wouldn't hear of it. Maybe it's some higher power's way of telling me that I need to be here." Abi sensed there was still more to Sam's subdued mood.

"Well at least Jack has some sense, that's good to know. Any developments with Joey's kidnapping? The two suspects you arrested talking?"

"A little, Lisa Carmichael is at least. Jack mentioned that Mickey suspects Hugh _is_ involved but proving it is going to be difficult. He wanted me to use Jo as bait, let Hugh know how much she means to me and where she is, see if he arranges for someone to finish what the plunge into the Thames started…" Sam broke off abruptly, tears springing to her eyes as she thought of risking the life of the woman she adored.

"What did you tell him?" Abi enquired softly, already suspecting she knew the answer.

"At first I told him there was no way I could consider it but the more I talked to him about it, the more I realised it's exactly the sort of thing Jo herself would push to do. I asked him to leave it with me and I'd think about it overnight. I have to let him know my decision tomorrow morning, first thing so we can get something organised if I agree." Sam pushed her plate away, apologising to Abi for her lack of appetite.

"What will it achieve if the plan succeeds? If you prove Hugh's involvement, what's the best case scenario?" Abi ferried the plates to the worktop, depositing the remains of Sam's food into the bin before setting to work washing up, shooing Sam's attempts to help.

"Hugh will be behind bars for the rest of his life, far, far away from any of us. He'll likely be denied any access to his son and be charged with conspiracy to abduct a minor, amongst other charges." Sam crossed to the cupboard reaching down a bottle of whiskey and pouring herself a generous measure, knowing it was pointless asking Abi to join her, the teenager preferring vodka.

"Is that worth risking losing Jo permanently? I'm not the same naïve child I was when Hugh took me, I'm not about to succumb to his charms again and I will do everything in my power to make sure he is never able to poison Joey's mind. The idea of never having to worry about him again is appealing but at what cost?" Abi watched Sam drain the glass, stopping her before the petite troubled blonde could refill the glass. "That won't help you make the decision."

"Jo would want me to say yes, if I say no it would be for purely selfish reasons." Sam eyed the whiskey bottled wistfully as Abi replaced it in the cupboard.

"You sound like your mind's already made up?"

"I guess it is." Sam replied quietly.


	17. Chapter 17

"Morning Sam, you're looking better today." Jack spoke earnestly, noting the new energy infusing his DI.

"Morning Jack. Do it, go ahead with the plan. Quickly, before I can change my mind." Sam announced as she bustled into the DCI's office.

"Ok, I'll talk to Phil and Zain, get something set up. How was Jo when you saw her last night? How's Abi doing now? Glad to be home?" Jack asked, acting as nonchalant about what they had just agreed to do as Sam was trying to appear.

"She's doing better Guv. Her chest infection's responding well to the antibiotics, the brain scans showed no signs of bleeding or blood clots so the doctors are offering a guarded but hopeful prognosis. They're playing it safe until the swelling and bruising goes down, then they will have a better idea about the long term prospects. Abi's fine, extremely relieved to be back home with Joey. She's being so supportive, I felt like she was the mother last night and me the daughter. Being a parent really seems to suit her."

"It'll do you no harm having her look after you for a change."

"Alice and George, Jo's parents, are staying with us too. I couldn't let them stay at some grotty bed and breakfast when the spare room is just there, ready and waiting to be filled. Plus I feel like I still have some connection with Jo by having them there." Sam wandered over to the window gazing out at the quiet road. "So what's the plan of action today with James and Lisa? Can we get another extension?" Sam turned her attention to the day ahead, needing to focus on work, knowing that if she thought of Jo she would reconsider her decision to let her colleagues attempt to lure Hugh into showing his hand.

"I don't think so, not without some solid evidence to give us reason. James has admitted to giving baby Wayne an overdose which led to his death so he's already facing a murder charge. It's looking like we're going to have to charge Lisa with Joey's abduction for now and hope we can tie Hugh into it once he implicates himself. I'll send Phil down the prison to talk to him, that ought to ruffle his feathers a bit given their history." Jack rose from his seat as Sam approached the door.

"And then what Guv?" Sam paused, turning back to Jack, not having wanted to know the details initially but suddenly needing to know every detail, to assure herself that she had made the right decision.

"And then we monitor outgoing calls and mail and Internet usage very carefully. The first sign of something being set up, we'll have people in place all over the hospital. Jo won't know anything about it but she'll be as safe as houses."

"Houses don't offer much protection against bombs, Jack. If Hugh is behind this, he's already used explosives once to distract from an abduction, who's to say he wouldn't do the same again?" Sam returned to Jack's desk, leaning on it and looking into his eyes for signs of doubt.

"There's no guarantee he won't try that but we will know everything he says, anything he arranges, we'll know about it in as much detail as the person he hires. We'll be keeping tabs on all calls in case he sets something up through someone else. Short of someone going undercover at the prison, which is impossible at this short notice, there's nothing else we can do. He's been on lockdown since the hostage situation, as much for his own safety than as punishment. It's going to take some sweet talking to convince Mr Sandford to play ball but given that we're after adding years onto Hugh's sentence, I'm hoping that might be a determining factor."

"Don't let me live to regret taking this chance Jack, please? I've almost lost her twice this year – I don't want the third time to come so close on the heels of the second. I'd rather it didn't come at all but that's not a hope I can hold onto with much determination in this line of work given Jo's tendencies to put the lives of others before her own." Sam held Jack's eye, all her commitment to her lover shining clearly in her baby blue orbs.

"I don't intend to lose anyone Sam." Jack fought not to let his gaze drop, hoping that he could deliver on his statement, refusing to promise knowing it would be an empty one which he had no guarantee of keeping.

* * *

"Long time no see Hugh. You been running into the walls in solitary? Nasty bruise you got there." Phil flopped down into a chair opposite Hugh Wallis, feeling no sympathy for the man who had obviously taken a beating – presumably at the hands of the guards avenging the death of their colleague.

"What do you want?" Hugh snarled, all pleasantries suspended in Phil's presence.

"Had any more thoughts about who could want to snatch your kid? Or why?" Phil asked, brushing aside the prisoners brusque manner.

"I thought you had them in custody, the people responsible."

"We've got the people who had Joey yeah but to me, they don't seem the type to mastermind an abduction like this. You're a profiler, how about I tell you how it went down and you give me your professional opinion on what sort of person could be behind it?" Phil waited for some sort of response but received only a curt grunt that could have been affirmative or negative. "Ok, Abigail Nixon agrees to visit you here. That same day, just after she's left the prison, she visits a café which has the window blown out by a car bomb soon after she sits down at a table. In the ensuing panic, baby Joey goes missing, taken by a woman who conveniently happens to be in the café too. The woman takes the baby next door to where her boyfriend is waiting for her. He leaves via the front entrance, unnoticed in the melee after the explosion. She waits for a few hours until the coast is clear and then leaves by the back door, hiding the baby under her jacket. She's saying it was all planned, her and her boyfriend did it to replace her dead son who the boyfriend had fed heroin to and that you had been boasting about making Sam's daughter pregnant and not really caring about the boy. James, the boyfriend, an old buddy of yours actually, is a small time drugs pusher with a minor sideline in stealing cars. He won't tell us where he got the explosives from but he certainly hasn't got the intelligence or patience to make a bomb himself. Lisa is a tragic young Mum who just lost the son she doted on, with no previous convictions, not even so much as a parking ticket. That sound feasible to you?" Again he waited to see if Hugh would be drawn, making it appear as though he was really asking for his opinion before getting around to mentioning the real reason for his visit.

Lowering his voice, as though confiding in a friend rather than addressing a convicted manipulator, Phil continued, "Sam's really gone through the wringer with this one; Abi was injured in the blast – serious enough cuts to warrant a blood transfusion, Joey was abducted and her fiancée, Jo Masters, was seriously injured in a bridge collapse whilst trying to talk Lisa out of jumping off it, thinking that she had Joey in her arms. Jo's in a critical condition in St Hugh's, she suffered concussion, multiple fractures and hypothermia from being in the freezing cold water for so long. I'm sure you can appreciate that Sam would like some closure and we're asking you, as a profiler, for your opinion to get that closure. Sam obviously is too close to offer an objective opinion."

"And you think I'm not? Joey is my son too." Hugh growled pausing a while before saying any more, letting Phil think he wasn't interested in offering an opinion. "I'd say it was a fairly cut and dried case DS Hunter. People do all sorts of things when they're desperate; murder, steal, turn to unlikely partners for comfort. So Sam's engaged to a woman is she?" The juxtaposition of the two comments was no coincidence, Hugh leaving the insinuation hanging in the air. "I'm afraid I can't be of any further help to you." Hugh retreated into sullen silence but Phil was content to leave, knowing that he had sewn the seed he had intended to plant.

"It's done Guv, he tried to act like he didn't care but he bought it alright. Shoulda seen his face, he could have turned milk sour." Phil reported in as he left the prison.

"Good work Phil, we'll start monitoring the calls and mail from now and hope we get something to pin on him." Jack told the detective before instructing him to return to the station.

* * *

"How kind of you to bring my breakfast to me personally. And I see you've made sure it's liberally decorated with added extras from all the officers." Hugh baited the prison officer, Robert McAdam, charged with delivering his meal to him.

"Shut it Wallis unless you want to have another 'fall'." The gruff, burly Scotsman barked intentionally tipping the bowl of food into Hugh's lap where he sat on the bed. "Now look what you've done, you clumsy shit. Clean that crap up."

"I've got a proposition for you, one which will guarantee your path and mine never have to cross again." Hugh calmly mentioned, ignoring the discomfort of lukewarm porridge soaking through his jeans.

"And why in hell's name would I want to do anything for you?"

"Well my presence here is so obviously distasteful to you, I'd have thought you'd have jumped at the chance to see the back of me. Besides, if you don't your wife might have to find out about the special bond you and Jack Mitchell have built up. Does she know you're playing hide the salami with an HIV positive inmate? Come to think of it, does the governor know? And before you even think about beating me into submission, I've already sent a copy of my evidence to a solicitor who, if he doesn't hear from me this afternoon, will send compromising photos to your dear wife, Sarah, Governor Sandford and numerous tabloid newspapers." Hugh sat back watching the colour drain from Robert's face before anger infused it with a cerise hue.

"You bastard. Think you can blackmail me? You don't know the first thing about me." Robert raised his fist aiming to rain blows down on Hugh from his elevated position.

"Is that so? So your address isn't 23 High Hill Road, Canley then? Your wife doesn't go the Fitness First gym on Becks Lane every Wednesday and Friday mornings and shop at Waitrose on Thursdays? And this isn't a picture of you and Jack in a very intimate embrace?" The prison officers fist dropped to his side as though made of lead, knowing that he had no alternative but to listen to Hugh's proposition.

"What is it you want?"

"A transfer and a blind eye turned when I go missing. In return, I will send you every copy and the data card these photos are stored on with a promise that you'll never hear from me again unless you go back on our arrangement – in which case you'll have more to worry about than some poxy photos." Glee flashed through Hugh's eyes triumphantly.

"I'll need a few days and I can't guarantee I can arrange to have you transferred but if it means I don't have to see your ugly face ever again, you have my word that I'll give it my best shot." Robert turned and walked from the cell, locking the door behind him without another glance at the inhabitant, his mind working overtime to think how he could have got himself into such a situation.


	18. Chapter 18

"Quieten down everybody. Let's get started." Jack cleared his throat, inviting his team to take their seats around the briefing table so that the morning conference could start. "Ok what's the latest from the prison, do we have anything on Hugh Wallis yet?"

"Nothing Guv, not so much as a hint that he's arranging anything dodgy. In fact, he's been too quiet if anything, not a single phone call or email sent out since I saw him. And no letters or visiting orders sent out since the one to Abigail Nixon. If he is making plans, he's got help from someone on the inside." Phil voiced the suspicion which had been growing amongst the team since his visit to Hugh three days ago.

"Is there any chance of someone getting into the prison, going undercover, Guv?" Mickey asked.

"Governor Sandford is already wary of our monitoring incoming and outgoing mail, I doubt he'd be too keen to extend that to having an officer posing as an inmate in his prison. The first whiff of digging around for signs of corruption and I suspect he will withdraw his support altogether. Now whether that means he has something to hide or he's just an eternal optimist determined to bury his head in the sand and refuse to accept anyone in his employ could be bent remains to be seen. But I'd like to keep him onside for as long as possible either way. If he shuts us out, we've no hope of keeping track of Hugh and any plans he might be making." Jack explained.

"If he doesn't make his move soon, he'll miss his chance anyway." Sam interjected from the doorway having arrived unnoticed after the briefing had begun. "Jo is looking at being discharged in a few days time if she keeps improving as she has been doing. As far as I know, she still plans to spend some time at her parents' home in Manchester. I'm seeing her later so I can confirm that."

"Ok people, I want a real drive over the next 24 hours to find any evidence that Hugh is plotting something. I'll talk to Sandford see if he'll let an officer go undercover but don't put too much emphasis on that front. Ramani, Terry, do some digging into the officers on Hugh's wing, see if any of them have anything to offer but be discreet, we don't want to tip anybody off that if they are in Hugh's pocket. Mickey, I want you and Suzie to concentrate on three other inmates on that wing; Jack Mitchell, Michael Li and Bruno M'bassa. All three have been seen spending a lot of time with Hugh since he arrived at Longmarsh, I want detailed histories on each of them, everything that you can possibly find, including who their known associates are. Phil, James King is asking to speak to you. Go see him, see if he has anything useful to offer now he's had time to consider his options. I hear he's not too happy at being on remand, the realities of being back inside have taken on a less rosy glow." Jack issued the orders, Sam happy to let him take charge for once.

"What about me Guv?" Zain asked, perturbed to be the only one not tasked with anything specific.

"I want you to keep a low profile, I don't want anyone involved seeing you in case we can get Sandford to agree to having an officer undercover. If he does, you'll be spending a few nights in Longmarsh if you're up for it?" Jack hoped to use Zain's experience of undercover work, along with his passion for dancing on the edge of the boundaries, to the benefit of the investigation. Zain allowed himself to feel the same thrill of anticipation he always felt at the prospect of getting to play the bad guy.

"Course Guv."

"Hugh Wallis doesn't know you so he won't associate you with Sun Hill. The last thing we need is for him to get wind of our investigation."

"With all due respect Guv, how are you going to sell the idea of someone going undercover to Superintendent Okaro? All we have to go on is supposition, no real hard evidence that Hugh is interested in plotting anything. There are no phone calls, no letters, no contact with anyone outside of the prison that we're aware of." Sam played devil's advocate, trying to distance herself from the reality that they were discussing a possible threat to Jo's life. "From his point of view, we have no reason to suspect Hugh is a threat to anyone."

"Let me worry about that if and when the time comes." Jack answered non-commitally.

* * *

"I hear they're letting you out in a couple of days, all being well?" Sam approached Jo's bed speaking quietly not wishing to startle the brunette who was gazing in the general direction of the window with unseeing eyes. Jo's head spun round at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Hi Sam. Mum said you hoped to call in this evening. Has she taken over your house yet? She has a tendency to stamp her mark everywhere she goes." Jo smiled as Sam laughingly brushed aside the light-hearted teasing at her mother's expense. "How's things at the station?" Cabin fever had started to set in after five days in bed and Jo was restless, desperate for news of the outside world. "I can't wait to get out of here!"

"I'll bet, you've never struck me as the type to take to lying around doing nothing for too long. Everything's just… well normal really. Nothing much to report apart from Terry finally working up the nerve to ask Ramani out to dinner." Sam perched casually on the edge of Jo's bed, feeling the pangs of desire at being so close to her, their embryonic friendship giving her hope that something may yet be salvaged from the whole disaster, with or without Jo's memory returning.

"You're kidding me! I never thought I'd see the day he got around to that. So what did she say?" Jo's eyes lit up at the gossip, it being just what she needed to distract her from her incarceration.

"Yes, of course! So now I have to keep reminding them they're to act like adults at work and not dissolve into pools of mush whenever they're together." Sam smiled remembering how she had had to fight the urge to do just that every time Jo looked her way before the accident. "We had a whip-round for you and I thought this might help to pass the time while you recuperate." Sam pulled the compact package out of the carrier bag she had brought with her.

Jo silently peeled the wrapping paper away from the small oblong package, revealing a hi-tech MP3 player and feeling a broad grin settling on her face. "Your choice?" She asked, wondering how much of a hand Sam had had in the choosing of the gift.

Sam nodded, adding, "I took the liberty of downloading some of the tunes I know you like onto it too so that you could use it straight away. I've even brought a supply of batteries in case you wear these out! There's one song on there, 'Fix You' that has a pretty special meaning to me, hope you don't mind me including it?" Sam fidgeted with the edge of the blanket covering Jo's bed, worried at her decision to download that particular song as much as she hoped it would trigger a memory in the brunette.

"Course I don't mind, it's a brilliant song. I'm touched you put so much thought into what to buy me, especially since I haven't exactly always been pleasant to you this last week. Thank you Sam and can you pass on my thanks to everyone who put money to this," Jo held the player aloft examining the numerous functions eagerly like a child on Christmas morning.

"You're welcome. Hope it beats the boredom a bit." Sam paused unsure whether to comment on Jo's attitude towards her, the softening of the brunette's mood contributing to her bravery but reservations still holding her back. "I can't even begin to imagine how hard it's been for you and continues to be. Knowing what we did, who we are… it's something we're all guilty of taking for granted. I understand that you acted towards me based on what you knew to be true, from what you could remember. I just hope that we can put that behind us again and move on more in this vein."

"I hope we can too. I promise to try as long as you don't send any more of my informants running for the hills." Jo smiled to take the sting out of her words, displaying her trademark dry sense of humour.

"You drive a hard bargain Jo Masters but you've got yourself a deal." Sam held her hand out to shake on it, feeling muscles clench in her abdomen as Jo's slender fingers slid over her palm. It took all of her self control not to lean forward and kiss Jo as she watched the brunette visually trace the outline of Sam's own lips, Jo blushing and shrugging slightly with a rye smile as she realised she'd been caught. "Are you still going to stay with your parents for a few days when you're out of here?" Sam broached the subject of Jo's impending departure, fearing her heart would implode without being able to see her lover each day. The contact was bittersweet but so much better than a void that could not be filled, which was what Sam was sure Jo's absence would create.

Nodding, Jo confirmed her plans, "I think it'll be for the best, give me some time to recover physically before I have to deal mentally and emotionally with what happened. I thought I might call in on Gary Best while I'm up there too, catch up with him. To me it only seems like yesterday that I was visiting him in his hospital bed, sending him back off to be with his family. It seems strange to think we've got months of catching up to do."

"That's a good idea. I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you, he was always very fond of you." Sam smiled genuinely at her lover, knowing that she mustn't let her see how much it pained her to encourage her to go. "Any idea how long you plan to stay yet? The DCI asked me, he needs to know so he knows whether we need to arrange longer term cover in the department."

"My Dad's told me I'm welcome for one or two weeks and no longer! So I guess I'll be back here in a couple of weeks. Can you not just draft someone in from uniform temporarily?" Sam fought a mental battle as to whether to admit to Jo that no uniformed officer could cover her post.

"Jo, I don't know whether I'm doing the right thing telling you this… but you'll need to know before you come back to work anyway. You're a DS now. You were my replacement when they gave me DI permanently. Ramani and Phil are holding the fort in your absence but I'm sure they'll be relieved when you're back on board. Suzie's itching to get her foot in the door to fill your shoes, I keep slapping her down as gently as I can but she's very persistent." Jo surprised Sam by guffawing with laughter.

"Me a DS? Wow, I never thought I'd make that at Sun Hill, not with Suzie there and Mickey too. Surely he'd be the ideal candidate to act up in my absence?" Jo suggested, "I know it's not that long since he was busted down to DC but surely he can be an acting sergeant since he'd still have to run everything by you or DCI Meadows? The doctors have said that it'll be at least three weeks yet before they're happy for me to go back to work, even on restricted duties. With the infection and fractures and my Swiss cheese memory, I think they're erring on the side of caution."

"I'm glad to hear you're planning on taking medical advice and not trying to push yourself too hard too soon. And I'll be sure to let Mickey know he has your backing over Suzie! Jack'll do whatever he thinks is best for the team but between you and me, I think he'd rather give the job to Zain than let Suzie loose as a sergeant. She'd terrorize everyone, including Jack himself!" The two women laughed conspiratorially, feeling more at ease in one another's company the longer they were together.

* * *

"Guv, it's Mickey. Sorry to ring you at home so late but I thought you'd want to know as soon as we heard. Hugh Wallis is being transferred to another prison at first light. Sandford just called to let us know, said it's for the best given the level of hostility Hugh faces from the prison officers following the death of their colleague." The blonde DC spoke rapidly into his phone as he grabbed his jacket and headed out of the door for the night, knowing an early start would be on the cards.

"What the hell…? And he only informed us now? These things take time to organise and he's letting us in on the last minute. Either Sandford is involved in something he doesn't want us to know about or else he's too big for his boots. Meet me outside the prison tomorrow morning, we're following that van whether they like it or not. Something fishy's going on here and it stinks of a plot to escape to me."

"You going to arrange for SO19 to be on hand?" Mickey asked, already in his car, heading home to get some sleep.

"Adam won't agree to that. It'll have to be a very low-key thing, just you and me I'm afraid." Jack conceded before instructing Mickey to get to bed so he would be sharp and alert the following morning.


	19. Chapter 19

"Morning Guv. Thought you might need this." Mickey handed over a coffee-filled Styrofoam cup to the DCI as he settled himself in the passenger seat of Jack's car.

"Thanks Mickey." Jack acknowledged, feeling the bite of the crisp early morning breeze as the door was pulled shut. "How can it still be dipping below zero so far into Spring?" Jack commented, not really requiring an answer, more needing to fill the silence that had settled between the two men. He was keyed up, nervous about the reasons behind Hugh's sudden transfer and the late hour at which they had been informed of the plan. "Did Sandford say what time the transport leaves exactly?"

"6am, before the other prisoners are up and about to minimise the possibility of trouble kicking off," Mickey informed his superior blowing on his own coffee to cool it before sipping the dark liquid. "How did Superintendent Okaro take the news?" The DC asked as Jack's mobile rang.

"I guess we're about to find out." Jack muttered as he read the display on his phone's tiny flashing screen. "DCI Meadows."

"Jack, tell me you're not really sitting outside Longmarsh prison with only Mickey Webb for backup, waiting for Hugh Wallis to be transferred to another prison on the off chance he's planning to make a run for it?" Adam's voice was terse on the other end of the line.

"I can't do that Sir." Jack admitted.

"I want you back at the station now!" Adam barked.

"I can't do that either Sir. There's something going on here, this has all been too neat, too quick and too quiet for it to be above board. Governor Sandford knew that by leaving it until late last night, there was no way we could arrange a suitable obbo in time for the transfer this morning…" Jack began to argue.

"I hope you're not implying that Governor Sandford has any part in this conspiracy theory of yours Jack?"

"With all due respect Adam, this is about Hugh Wallis. We all know how convincing he can be, how persuasive – he took all of us in when he kidnapped Abigail Nixon. He gets off on winding Sam up and if I know Wallis, there's no way he'll be able to resist such a prime opportunity to pop a dig at her now. Somehow, he's managed to plan something without us detecting it, which means he's had help from channels we haven't been monitoring. Mickey came across some very interesting rumours about a prison officer, Robert McAdam, being involved with Jack Mitchell who just happens to be a good friend of Hugh's – if the rumours are true and Mitchell has provided Hugh with evidence, it could prove very useful as blackmail material. And guess who is on escort duty this morning to take Wallis to his new home?"

"As fascinating as all that sounds Jack, it is based on a slanderous, flimsy rumour for which there is no evidence. I am giving you a direct order, return to the station and come straight to my office, you and DC Webb. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action, action which DC Webb can ill afford and which will look none too good on your own record if you ever hope to progress up the ladder. Do I make myself clear?" Adam asked coldly.

"Yes Sir." Jack answered before ending the call.

"Well?" Mickey twisted in his seat to look at Jack expectantly.

"He wants us back at the station… now." Jack told his constable, grim-faced as he tussled between sticking with his instincts and obeying Adam's order.

"But Guv, what about Wallis? We can't just let him do a runner. We both know there's something not right about this setup. If we let him go we might never catch up with him and Jo, Sam, Abi and Joey will all be at risk as long as he's out there." Mickey ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair, exasperated at the possibility of letting Hugh slip through their fingers.

"If we don't go back, Superintendent Okaro has made it clear that we would be jeopardising our careers. I can't ask you to do that." Jack informed the younger man.

"No but I can volunteer. I'm not letting him get away Guv, Sam and Jo have always been good to me, I won't risk their lives because Okaro's worried about politics. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? You get a slap on the wrist and I get bounced back to uniform for a while 'til I've learnt my lesson." Mickey retorted, ever the optimist.

"You could be bounced off the force Mickey, permanently."

"Not if we're right. It's now or never Guv, are you staying or going?" Mickey asked as the gates started to open to allow the prison van transporting Hugh to pass through. Jack never answered Mickey verbally, instead choosing to fire up the engine and prepare to follow the van on it's journey.

* * *

"Anyone seen DCI Meadows this morning?" Sam asked as she poked her head out of her office. "Come to think of it, where's DC Webb?" Phil shrugged looking to the others in the department to see if they could shed any light on their colleagues' whereabouts.

"I overheard Superintendent Okaro talking to DCI Meadows earlier this morning, he said something about being at the prison with Mickey for backup but I've not heard of anything going down," Ramani supplied.

"Thanks, Ramani, I'll see if the Super can shed any more light on the matter." Sam called as she disappeared through the swing doors leading to the corridor where Adam's office was situated. Knocking on the door after checking through the window to see if he was in, Sam paused until she was bade to enter before skirting through the door and closing it behind her.

"What can I do for you DI Nixon?" Adam's tone was more clipped than usual, his stare direct and unnerving.

* * *

"Well I hope Superintendent Okaro is as forgiving as you make him out to be Mickey because if he isn't you and I will be down at the job centre tomorrow morning." Jack commented idly as he followed at a discrete distance behind the prison van, the absence of much other traffic making them more liable to stand out if they got too close.

"Guv, there's a van doing some serious speed along the road running parallel to this one, I can see it from here. There's a junction ahead where the two roads intersect one another, looks like we might have ourselves a likely candidate." Mickey commented, more concerned with the immediate action than with the possible consequences of disobeying the Super's order.

"If the driver's clocked it, he's taking no evasive action yet." The DCI observed, swiftly glancing to his left to see the van to which Mickey was referring.

"Maybe he's in on the scam," the DC suggested feeling a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. "If something does go down, are we going to nick Wallis?"

"That'll depend on who he has for company… and how tooled up they are." The intersection was rapidly approaching with the two vans still on a collision course, neither showing any signs of slowing. "If we've got right of way on this road, either the driver of that van has a death wish or we're about to witness a hijack. There's no way he's going to stop, going at that speed." Jack muttered easing off the gas so and pulling onto the muddy verge far enough so as not to be obviously visible whilst still maintaining a good view. The white van on the approaching road skidded into the path of the prison truck forcing it to swerve violently, it's angle making a getaway impossible. Two balaclava clad figures poured from the van brandishing firearms malevolently, gesturing for the driver and his front seat passenger, Robert McAdam, to alight from the vehicle.

"I'll radio for backup Guv." Mickey jabbered, partly excited at having been proved right, partly petrified in case their car was spotted

"No point, they'll be long gone by the time anyone can get here. We're in the middle of nowhere and even with no traffic around SO19 couldn't get here before that van is just a distant memory. We're on our own Mickey, we'll have to make the best of it. No matter what happens, stick with Hugh Wallis." Jack reached behind him for the camera he had brought along, immediately snapping away grabbing photos of the gunmen busily springing Hugh from his cell inside the prison truck. A shot being fired focused both men's attention on the situation developing on the road ahead of them, the driver of the prison transport slumping to the ground from the kneeling position he had been forced into. Glancing at Jack, Mickey watched as the older man adjusted the zoom lens continuing to capture the carnage developing little more than 50 yards in front of them.

* * *

The witness watched, through the view finder of the digital camera, the fine mist of blood explode from the first guard's head as one of the masked raiders fired a bullet at point blank range into the back of his skull, the camera zoomed in as close as he could get it from his excellent vantage point. Tiring of the depravity before him, he scanned further down the road to the unmarked car occupied by two men, who even in plain clothes would never be mistaken for anything other than police officers. He'd watched as they pulled off the road earlier, hiding in a lay-by moments before the white non-descript van had intercepted the prison truck. He watched the younger one's jaw working overtime, as the situation unfolded. Lining them both up in his sights he took a shot for good measure, never knowing when it might come in handy.

* * *

Hugh emerged from the van stretching luxuriously, a smug grin adorning his face as Robert McAdam was forced to kneel in front of him.

"Perfect timing boys. Nice work Robert. You do understand I have to make this look authentic? You wouldn't want it to look obvious that you helped with this would you?" Hugh accepted a handgun from one of the masked men, bouncing it up and down in his hand as if testing the weight of the weapon before cocking the hammer and taking aim at the squirming officer who had facilitated his release. Hugh lowered his arm at the last moment as he squeezed the trigger, blasting a painful hole in the Scotsman's groin. "Maybe that will remind you to think with your head rather than your dick, you pathetic, disgusting piece of crap." Spitting on the writhing, prone figure as he stepped over him, Hugh snarled, "and that's for every meal you and your mates gobbed on while I was inside. Don't die too quickly." As Hugh clambered into the back of the van his rescuers had arrived in, Jack was still busy snapping away with the camera. Only once the accomplices were ensconced in the front of the vehicle did Jack turn his attention back to Mickey ordering frantically for him to give chase as he himself clambered out of the car, mobile phone already out and dialling for backup.

"Just follow them, no heroics, Mickey. First sign they've clocked you pull out, I don't want you getting shot otherwise Okaro will have my balls on a plate." The DCI called to his subordinate.

* * *

Returning his attention and the focus of the camera to the job he was being paid to do, the man took a few more photographs of Hugh Wallis before watching him clamber into the back of the van. Pulling out his mobile phone, he dialled a number he knew off by heart. "The van's on the move, tracking system's online but he's got a tail. Vehicle Index Number Papa Uniform five one Tango, Romeo, Echo, driven by a sandy haired little runt. Make sure he gets separated from the van as soon as." Rapidly packing his camera up and having a quick scout round to make sure nothing was left behind to tie him to the scene, the witness raced to his motorbike and set off in pursuit of the van.

* * *

"I was wondering where DCI Meadows and DC Webb had got to this morning? Ramani mentioned you spoke to them earlier. Is there something going on at the prison?" Sam forced herself to stand still, the need to fidget under her superior's unflinching gaze almost irresistible.

"Nothing is going on at the prison other than DCI Meadows vanquishing some personal vendetta against Governor Sandford and his employees. The notion that they have orchestrated this prisoner transfer to provide Hugh Wallis with the chance to abscond from custody is nothing short of absurd."

"Hugh's being transferred? Since when? When was this arranged?" Sam jumped on the news, furious that Jack had not informed her himself.

"Apparently Governor Sandford passed the information onto DC Webb late last night. He and Jack have taken it upon themselves to follow the van so they will be on site in the unlikely event of Hugh making a bid for freedom." Adam scoffed. "I ordered them to return to the station as soon as I became aware of the plan, it would appear they have chosen, unwisely, to ignore that order." A knock on the door forestalled any response from Sam, a sheepish looking Smithy poking his head round the doorjamb as Adam barked out for the intruder to enter.

"Sir, Guv, I thought you'd want to know. We've had a report from DCI Meadows of an incident involving the prison van transporting Hugh Wallis from Longmarsh prison. The van was hijacked, both of the guards shot and left for dead. Two patrol cars and an ambulance are on their way to the scene now. Wallis was bundled into the back of another truck and driven off, Mickey Webb went after it but lost them when a lorry pulled across the road to back into a warehouse in front of him." Smithy reported hurriedly casting a worried glance in Sam's direction.


	20. Chapter 20

"We need to get Jo out of that hospital, Sir." Sam's face was devoid of colour, her eyes clouded grey and her skin turning pallid as the full impact of Smithy's report landed on her. "Jack was right, he's determined to use any means possible to hurt me. I need to warn Abi too, she's not safe at home, he knows where we live. And Alice and George are there too, unless they've already left for the hospital but I doubt it yet." As more and more fears bombarded Sam's mind, she rose from her chair beginning to pace back and forth across Adam's office.

"See to your daughter DI Nixon, we'll take care of the hospital. Sergeant Smith, I want every entrance to be under surveillance immediately. Use as many officers as it takes. Post an officer outside DS Masters' room until I can arrange to have her moved to a safe location. Where is DCI Meadows now?" Adam rose from behind his desk, not planning on going anywhere but needing to appear decisive and in command.

"Still at the scene Sir. DC Webb's on his way back there too." Smithy outlined the exact location of the incident before leaving to amass the troops he would need to secure St Hugh's. Sam fumbled with her mobile, scrolling through her contacts list with shaking fingers as she tried to find her home phone number.

"Go to your daughter DI Nixon, this is not the sort of news to be given over the phone. She'll be frightened, she'll need you there to reassure her that everything will be ok." Adam instructed as gently as he could, seeing how flustered and rattled the normally unflappable blonde was.

"I'll sort Abi out, then I'll go to the hospital. I want to be the one to explain to Jo, she should hear it from me." It was not a conversation which Sam was looking forward to but knew she would never forgive herself if Jo learned of the situation from someone else. Adam nodded tersely, knowing it was a fruitless exercise arguing with her.

* * *

"Abi? Abi, where are you?" Sam called as she burst through the front door.

"I'm here Mum." Abi appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, a puzzled expression on her face. "Where's the emergency?" Wariness seized the younger Nixon woman, seeing the intense nervous energy gripping her mother.

"You need to find some place to stay, somewhere Hugh doesn't know about. He was being transported to another prison this morning but he managed to get out. If he had a hand in Joey's abduction, he might try to finish the job. I need to know you're somewhere safe until we can track him down and put him back in jail where he belongs. Where are Alice and George, have they left for the hospital already?" Sam rushed up the stairs and into her daughter's room grabbing a holdall and beginning to pack up clothes.

"The hospital phoned just before seven to say Jo was being discharged. They've decided to head straight back to Manchester today, took a few bags of Jo's clothes and things with them. They said they'd phone you when they stopped for a 'comfort-break' as they so quaintly called it, they didn't like to disturb you at work." Abi joined her mother in packing up her belongings, the electric fear surrounding Sam infusing her daughter too. Sam didn't know whether to be relieved or bitterly disappointed. On the one hand, Jo's sudden departure put her out of harm's way but on the other, it robbed Sam of the chance to see her again before she left. Crushing desolation settled over her like thunder clouds rolling in over the horizon, the darkness threatening to engulf her completely as she realised she might never see the woman she adored again if she did decide to stay in Manchester permanently.

* * *

Jo gazed out of the car window, the landscape whizzing by hypnotising her and making her drowsy. Succumbing to her fatigue, the brunette closed her eyes, a hollow empty feeling growing inside of her the further from London the car sped.

_Jo walked into the bedroom - her bedroom, the one she had shared for so long with Tessa. Bile rose in her throat at the obscene graffiti adorning the walls. Hearing movement in the room, she spun around to find the source of the sound. A man thrust his pelvis into a woman she couldn't see clearly lying in the centre of the double bed, grunting and panting, the unmistakeable scent of sex accompanying the sounds of naked skin slapping together. Jo tried to call out, to look away, but her body refused to obey even that simple command. The faceless man shifted suddenly, revealing Tessa squirming ecstatically beneath him._

"_Will you be Godmother to the baby I'm making here?" Tessa cackled before she faded from view. Jo felt the room spin; suddenly the soft duvet was at her back and Sam was standing where she had been moments before. She looked up into a face that struck fear into her heart._

"_Not so tough now are you, you filthy dyke!" The guy screamed in her face, the voice familiar causing Jo's blood to run cold as she struggled to place it, all the while fighting to free herself from his painful advances, reaching out to Sam who was racing to be by her side but gaining no ground._

"Joanne, sweetheart, wake up." Alice stroked the backs of her fingers down her daughter's cheek, concerned by her tortured expression and the thin film of perspiration coating her skin. Fear gripped her, worried that the hospital had been too hasty in discharging her, that the infection was returning. Jo stirred, the persistent tender caress coaxing her from the nightmare world inside her brain, feelings of violation and shame lingering as consciousness returned.

"Are we home?" She asked groggily, the bright sunlight forcing her eyes closed as soon as she tried to open them.

"No, not yet love. We're at the services just outside of Oxford. We thought we might grab a bite to eat and stretch our legs for a while." Alice explained, checking Jo's temperature, still concerned for her daughter's welfare.

"Okay," the brunette mumbled dreamily still battling to wake herself fully despite dreading returning to the horror sleep had brought her.

"Do you want to stay in the car?" Jo heard her mother ask, sounding as though she was speaking underwater.

Forcing her eyes open, the brunette ran her hands over her face trying to wipe away the last vestiges of the her dream. "No, I could use some air… and a strong black coffee!"

Mother and daughter made a beeline for the toilets as they entered the service station. While Alive answered a call of nature, Jo took the opportunity to splash cold water on her face, grimacing as she caught sight of herself in the vast bank of mirrors. She was shocked at the pallor of her skin, the combination of harsh fluorescent lighting and the angry crude scar on her forehead adding to the contrast giving her a deathly appearance. She noticed an attractive young woman regarding her through the mirror with a concerned expression.

"Are you okay? I can get someone if you're feeling unwell," the compassionate stranger offered.

"I'm fine, thank you. Just a little tired from the road." Jo assured her, smiling warmly and was as it was returned just as warmly, the hint of something more playing around the woman's eyes. Alice joined her at the sinks, washing up and checking her own appearance before escorting her daughter from the restroom, chuckling slightly as the brunette cast a few furtive glances back towards the attractive woman.

"I don't know, can't take you anywhere without ladies falling at your feet! You certainly inherited your father's charm in that respect." Alice laughed, pleased to see a slight flash of colour race to her daughter's cheeks.

"No harm in window shopping seeing as I'm reliably informed Tessa and I are history," Jo countered, slipping her arm through her mum's casually for support, her legs still a little shaky over distances following her period of inactivity.

"That doesn't necessarily mean you're young, free and single, Joanne." Alice retorted, wishing she could take the words back as soon as they left her mouth.

"What do you mean by that?" Jo stopped dead in her tracks at her mother's comment.

"Where's your dad go to now?" Alice pondered aloud, ignoring Jo's question and ignoring the glare boring into her.

"If I'm supposed to be with someone else, how come the only visitors I've had have been you two and Sam Nixon? Since she's straight and dancing around a relationship with Phil Hunter, that not only narrows the field but completely eliminates it from where I'm standing!" Jo persisted.

"If he's in that damn shop we'll be here for hours while he tries to make his mind up about which travel sweets buy." Alice moved towards the entrance to the shop contained within the service station, mentally lambasting herself for not engaging her brain before making the flippant remark.

"Mum, who is she? And more to the point _where_ is she?" Jo intercepted her mother, arms rigid by her sides as she demanded answers, her expression determined and petulant.

"Joanne, you're making a spectacle of yourself. We'll talk about it later when we get home." Alice's tone was firm, indicating the matter was not open for further discussion, no matter how hard Jo pushed. "Now, are you hungry? You need to eat something so you can take some more painkillers. They don't do well on an empty stomach." Just as she was about to claim she wasn't hungry, Jo's stomach gurgled noisily startling both women into spontaneous laughter. "Let's find your father so we can feed that beast before it's let loose on the unsuspecting population!"

* * *

"For the last time, Sam, if you insist on sleeping here tonight, I'm staying with you." Phil announced as he deposited his suit jacket on the back of one of the kitchen chairs, watching the stubborn DI reach down a bottle of red wine from a well stocked cupboard. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"You staying here? No I don't. I think it's completely unnecessary." Sam barked at him, the lack of contact from Jo and her parents making her edgy and anxious as long as there was no news on Hugh's recapture.

"I meant the wine actually." Phil huffed.

"I'm going to need some form of anaesthetic if I have to have you snoring the next room all night." Sam rejoined peevishly, slamming the drawer shut after retrieving the corkscrew, tossing the appliance onto the worktop after making light work of opening the bottle. She reached two glasses down, supposing she ought to be gracious enough to offer Phil a drink if he was to be her guest for the night.

"Not for me thanks. I don't want anything clouding my judgement just in case Hugh comes calling." He declined as politely as he could, hoping that Sam would not get as slaughtered as she seemed intent on getting.

* * *

Jo wearily climbed the first couple of stairs, the journey having left he more exhausted than she thought possible. A lump formed in her throat and tears pricked her eyes as she looked up to the top of the stairs. She may as well have been standing in the shadow of Everest so insurmountable did the climb appear in her drained state.

"You okay there love?" George asked gently, patiently waiting to carry the holdall containing Jo's belongings up to her childhood bedroom.

"I don't think I've the energy to make it up there Dad." Jo's bravado crumbled, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She felt pathetic and weak, beaten by a lowly staircase.

"It's alright baby girl, it's been a long day and you've had more exercise today than is probably wise. Your body's a bit sluggish that's all. Take your time, there's no rush." Depositing the bag on the floor in the hallway, George stepped up behind his daughter, supporting her with an arm gently around her waist and a hand at her elbow. "Use me as much as you need to love." Jo twisted on the stairs, wrapping herself around George's robust frame, sobbing into his chest. He exchanged a concerned look with his wife, both acknowledging the road to recovery would be a long and arduous one for their daughter.

* * *

Sam snatched the receiver from its cradle on the second ring. "Samantha Nixon."

"Sam, it's Alice, love. Sorry we didn't ring before now, we rather had our hands full with Jo. I just wanted you to know we made it back safely and to thank you for letting us take over your house. I changed to bedding in the spare room before we left." Alice spoke quietly into the phone, one ear listening to the movements of her two most precious people above.

"You're welcome any time Alice, you know that. You didn't need to have changed the bed but thank you. How is Jo? She there? Can I have a quick word?" Sam asked feeling the distance between them like a physical pain.

"George has taken her straight upstairs. She's exhausted, physically and emotionally. I'm worried about her Sam, she's only ever been this low once before – she wasn't even this bad when Guy was killed. Then she was more angry than anything, now she's just… crushed." Alice confided, stopping short of going into detail about when Jo had been as low.

"It's ok Alice, Jo told me about the baby. Before all this, we were talking about the possibility of starting a family of our own, of Jo becoming a mum herself. She told me what happened." Sam spoke quietly, not wanting Phil to overhear, knowing Jo would be devastated if she betrayed such a confidence.

"It took her months to pick herself up after that. I fear this might take longer if she doesn't regain her memory soon." Alice closed the lounge door, not wishing for Jo or George to overhear the conversation. "She flies off the handle at the slightest thing and the rest of the time just seems to cry. It's so unlike her."

"She's been through so much trauma in a short space of time Alice. We'll all make sure she gets all the support and help she needs, for however long as it takes to get her back to the real Jo. It's going to be painful for her, and for those of us who go through it with her, but I'm not giving up on her, not ever." Sam promised passionately.

"We can only hope she doesn't give up on herself then." Alice sighed, remembering how Jo had begged her mother to let her die in the weeks following the death of her baby, convinced that nothing good could ever possibly happen to her again.

* * *

Jo lay on her back, sinking into the old mattress of her youth, inserting the discrete in-ear phones attached to the MP3 player Sam had presented to her. She selected to play the tunes in random order allowing herself to drift on the music lulling her into a warm comfortable place, just outside of waking but not yet quite asleep either. She thought about her mother's earlier comment regarding a new relationship, her mind jumping to thoughts of Sam of it's own accord, although she failed to see any connection – apart from wishful thinking. As if reading her mind, the playlist shuffled again until strains of 'Fix You' rang in her ears, the song Sam had chosen because of it's special meaning. Jo let the words wash over her, feeling herself drawn into the song.

"_Tears stream down your face, when you lose something you cannot replace_." Cheeks streaked with salty rivulets pouring from her eyes, Jo reflected on how might never recall the missing months erased from her memory – months which by all accounts had been the happiest she had known.

"_Tears stream down your face and I…_

_Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones_

_And I will try to fix you._"

As the song trailed off, Jo slipped into a fitful slumber, wishing that someone could fix her.

* * *

"If you're sleeping with that thing after the amount you've had to drink, I'm staying in the same room as you. I don't want to get up in the night for a pee and end up with that in my back cos you think I'm Hugh bleedin' Wallis!" Phil raged, worriedly eying the huge kitchen knife Sam was brandishing.

"You'll try anything to sleep with me, won't you Phillip?" Sam teased drunkenly.

"Don't get excited, I'll bunk down on the floor." He assured her, never having seen Sam so out of control, her drinking having escalated following Alice's phonecall. No matter how much Phil probed, she wouldn't be drawn on the cause for the change, or on the contents of the call claiming it had no relevance to the case which was the only reason she was tolerating his intrusion into her home.

"People will talk if they find out we slept together. I don't want to hear any rumours about being the latest notch on your belt, DS Hunter." Sam slurred waving the knife at his chest as he danced out of it's range.

"Watch it!"

"That's watch it Guv to you!" Sam giggled, stumbling as she staggered towards the stairs.

"Come on… Guv. Let's get you to bed." Phil steadied the wobbling blonde holding on to the hand containing the knife to prevent any nasty surprises coming his way.

"Oooh promises, promises. No wonder you make all the girls swoon." Sam tried to shrug him off, almost falling back down the stairs they had climbed.

"Do I have to put you over my shoulder and carry you or are you going to walk?" Phil asked, exasperated, wondering if she was like this for Jo.

"That's it, Phil, show me your Neanderthal roots." Phil shook his head, marvelling at how he was content to take such abuse from a woman, knowing the reason if he were totally honest with himself but not wanting to allow such distractions to encroach.

* * *

Alice crept into Jo's room, teasing the tiny music device from her slumbering daughter's fingers and removing the earphones gently. She soothed the brunette's brow leaning in to gently kiss her, heart almost bursting with joy as Jo stirred, murmuring, "love you Sam," before quieting again.

* * *

Phil listened to Sam torturing herself in sleep, the cold hard floor preventing his own sleep from coming. He threw back the flimsy fleece blanket, goose bumps immediately rising on his exposed skin.

"Sam, wake up. It's alright, it's just a dream." He shook her gently, catching her in his arms as she flew into a sitting position, suddenly jolting awake. "It's ok, it's just a dream," he repeated, soothing a hand down her back in a compassionate gesture. Sam clung to him until she calmed. Drawing back, she pecked his cheek impetuously, looking up at him with hooded eyes. One hand slid lazily along his thigh, his groin constricting involuntarily.

"Isn't this what you've been after all along, Phillip?" Sam purred, her voice even huskier than usual.

Summoning all the restraint he could muster, Phil swatted Sam's hand away and stood up. "Sam…" he warned. The blonde woman examined her hand as though it were an alien entity, with a mind of its own.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Sam crumbled, wracking sobs tearing through her body.

"It's been a long, stressful day, add to that a generous helping of alcohol and rational thought goes out the window." Phil consoled her hesitating for a moment before moving back to the bed to hold Sam, unable to stand by and watch her distress idly. "I won't tell anyone if you don't," he offered. Sam nodded miserably. "Imagine the stick I'd get if word got out I'd turned down a night in the sack with you!" Phil joked, trying to make light of the situation. He was rewarded with a watery smile, cut off in it's prime by a yawn. "Mind if I bunk in with you though? Your floor's a bit on the hard side!"

"On one condition…" Sam told him.

"No funny business, I promise. I'm a reformed man." Phil interjected sincerely.

"That as well but will you just hold me? I miss having her beside me so much." Sam confessed, lightly caressing the photo of Jo holding her that she kept by her bed. Without another word Phil dived under the duvet, grateful to be enveloped by its warmth, wrapping his arms around Sam and pulling her to him. As they both drifted off to sleep, Phil thought back to a time when he would have responded to Sam's advances without a second thought, wondering how one woman could have changed him so profoundly that he was determined nothing would jeopardise the friendship he valued above all others.


	21. Chapter 21

_Jo looked down at Sam, a vision of naked perfection below her on the unfamiliar soft, plush bed. Smiling gently, she dipped her head lower, stealing a kiss, luxuriating in the luscious feel of Sam's lips against her own. Hands begun to wander of their own free will, exploring the smooth plains of the stunning blonde's bare flesh; kneading breasts, tickling ribs, teasing sensitive inner thighs. Feeling the damp heat seeping out to greet her, Jo slipped her fingers between the fleshy lips eliciting a soft moan from Sam. They moved together in rhythmic harmony, as though their bodies were perfectly tuned to one another. The petite blonde arched off the bed, crying out Jo's name as she climaxed.

* * *

_

"Morning sweetheart, how did you sleep?" Alice asked her daughter as Jo shuffled into the kitchen groggily, slumping into one of the chairs at the breakfast bar.

"I need coffee!" Jo grumbled as Alice stifled a giggle, the scene reminding her of many a school morning.

"I see some things never change." George kissed his daughter on the head as he tossed the morning newspaper, still folded from where he had picked it up from the doormat in the hallway, onto the worktop in front of her. "You never were a morning person, were you love?" It was a rhetorical question, George knowing he would get no meaningful conversation out of Jo until she had sunk at least one mug-full of strong black coffee.

Jo accepted the beaker Alice offered her with a murmured thanks, still preoccupied by the dreams she had had throughout the night, wondering if any of them contained real memories – certain that the last one had to have been pure fiction. Shame considering it was rather enjoyable and downright x-rated. It was a good job Sam wasn't around, Jo doubted she would have been able to look her colleague in the eye so soon after such an erotic dream with her in a starring role. To prevent her thoughts from lingering, feeling a flush of colour springing to her cheeks as an image rushed unbidden into her mind, Jo spun the newspaper towards, unfolding it. Her breath caught as the front page photograph leapt out at her.

"I know him!" Jo tapped the picture, scanning the headline as she felt her parents' inquisitive stares land upon her. "He's the one who abducted Abigail Nixon, Sam's daughter. Hugh Wallis, the profiler who worked with Sam trying to solve the case when he was behind her disappearance all along." Skim-reading the rest of the article, Jo's thoughts immediately turned to what must be done, still a police officer despite being signed off for recuperation. "I need to phone Sam, see if there's anything I can do. They might be needing an extra pair of hands."

"Even if they do, they'll be no hands of yours doing the helping. Call Sam by all means, I'm sure she'd be glad to hear from you, but don't get any ideas about offering your services. You're in no fit state."

Jo had been only half listening, still pouring over the front page news. "It says here that Sam's a grandma, that it's Hugh's baby. She kept that quiet. Or is it something else that's slipped my mind?" Jo asked, presuming she already knew the answer given that she had been living with Sam – a baby in the house was not something that could be hidden. "Mind if I use the phone?" She asked raising her head to catch her mother shaking her head in response.

* * *

"Don't keep beating yourself up Sam, really, no harm's done. Anyway, it's understandable – there isn't a woman on the planet who can resist the sight of me in my boxers!" Phil trailed Sam into her office, laughing off her discomfort at the memory of making a drunken pass at him before collapsing into a weeping mess.

"Somehow Phil, I think you're over emphasising the hold you have on the female population. Can we just forget it?" Sam asked not quite managing to meet his eye as she scratched the back of her head, a nervous gesture she had developed many years ago. He winked and nodded before turning to leave, promising to return with her morning coffee. As he closed the door behind him, the phone on her desk began to ring, shattering her hopes for a peaceful start to her day.

"DI Nixon," she answered brusquely.

"I've got DS Masters on the phone for you, Guv." Honey informed her from the front desk. Her day suddenly taking on a decidedly sunnier turn, Sam thanked the ditzy blonde officer, waiting for the call to be transferred before greeting Jo warmly.

"Morning Jo, how are you feeling?"

"Morning Sam. I'm ok, bit tired after the journey and it feels weird being back at my parents' again. How are things there?" Jo asked, her mood instantly brightened by the affection in Sam's voice.

"Same as usual really. So what's on your mind? Missing us so much already?" Sam joked, half hoping to hear Jo confess she was actually missing her.

Laughing, Jo considered her answer, knowing that truthfully she was missing them, or rather missing Sam. She had quite got used to seeing her every day, enjoyed the banter that they shared and the casual way Sam had found excuses to touch her.

"Much as I would love to flatter your ego and tell you I can't live a day without speaking to you… I have to confess I was calling more about the news. Have you not seen a paper this morning?" Jo settled for hiding behind humour before getting down to the more serious nature of her call.

"No, I find them too depressing or just downright irritating if they're running a story on how incompetent we're supposed to be…again! Why? Something we should know about?" Sam thought she had an inkling of what would be attracting the attention of the national press but was keen to prolong her conversation with Jo as much as was possible.

"There's a photo of Hugh Wallis on the front page of the Daily Express with a cover story about how he's escaped from a prison transport truck! I presumed you'd already know about it," Jo explained.

"Yeah, I had heard. Abi is staying with friends, out of the way and I'm being babysat by Phil Hunter in my own home as a result of it." Sam grumbled. Jo was surprised by the flash of jealousy that shot through her as she thought of Sam sharing a house with Phil.

"I'll bet that's interesting for you." She rejoined, sounding a little more terse than she had intended.

"That's one word for it. An overreaction, tedious and more than a little irritating would also sum it up well." Had that been a hint of the green-eyed monster Sam had detected in her lover's tone. "I wish…" She began before cutting herself off, not wanting to pressurise the brunette or give her cause for alarm.

"What? You wish what Sam?" Jo pressed, wondering what the DI could have been about to say; her imagination running away with her as that morning's dream sprung to mind.

"I wish we could just see the back of him once and for all so we'd never have to look over our shoulders again in case he's there hovering, waiting for his chance to pounce. Do you know what he told me the day we arrested him? 'As long as I'm out here, you'll never be free of me.'" Sam improvised, covering with a truth she had told no one else. "I'm worried he'll never give in until he's completely destroyed me and anyone close to me."

* * *

"Sierra Oscar from 595, show us dealing." Tony said into his radio as Will flicked the sirens on and floored the accelerator. The call had come through moments before; a break in at a property by the river, the same area where Joey Nixon had been found a week earlier. The two uniformed officers pulled up outside the new waterside development, clambering from the car and hurrying to the address given.

"This isn't just the same block of houses, it's the same house that the DI's grandson was picked up from. Think we ought to let her know?" Tony consulted his colleague as they approached.

"Let's take a look first, might just be opportunistic thieves, seeing that no one's home and nicking anything worth flogging." Will decided taking the lead as they approached the smashed in front door.

"No prizes for spotting the point of entry." Tony remarked humourlessly. They wandered silently through the house, asps drawn in case the intruder was still on the premises, stealthily making their way from room to room. After discovering no one inside, Will turned to Tony a puzzled expression on his face.

"Nothing's been nicked. The telly's still here, DVD player, hi-fi. There's even some loose change on the counter in the kitchen that doesn't look like it's been touched."

"The drawers have all been turned out, the contents rifled through. I think we ought to get CID down here, something doesn't sit right about this." Tony agreed, wondering if it could be coincidence that the flat had been ripped apart the day after Hugh Wallis absconded from prison.

* * *

"So what are your plans for the next few days? Got anything lined up?" Sam asked, making casual conversation to keep Jo on the line, her voice a much needed balm against the stress of knowing Hugh was on the loose. A knock at her door elicited an involuntary growl. "Come in," she called irritably, slightly softening as she heard Jo laugh on the other end of the phone line.

"Sorry to interrupt Guv but thought you'd want to know. Uniform are at James King's flat, someone's turned it over and we're not talking petty thieving." Mickey informed her, ducking back out of the office as Sam took in the implication.

"Sorry Jo, I have to go, something's come up." Sam apologised, wishing that she knew when she would have another excuse to talk to her again.

"It's ok, I know you're at work and have things to do. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You've been good to me and my parents this last week, it's the least I could do really. Any time you need to sound off to someone safely, feel free to call me. I'll probably welcome the distraction, I have a feeling recuperation is going to drive me stir-crazy!" Jo offered her ear to bend.

"You'll be sorry when I hold you to that, Jo. I really appreciate you calling. You rest up and stay out of trouble. You'll be back here, where you belong, striking fear in the heart of Sun Hill's criminal elite before you know it." Sam informed her lover, still thinking of her in those terms despite their platonic relationship at present.

"Take care Sam… and I meant it, call me, any time." Jo ended the conversation, wondering why she felt so deflated as she heard the line click dead.

* * *

"We've spoken to a neighbour – a Mr Jarvis Porter. You might want to have a word with him yourself though Guv, he's adamant he saw who the intruder was." Tony beckoned Will over with Mr Porter in tow. "Mr Porter, this is Detective Inspector Nixon. Would you care to tell her what you told us earlier about the break in nextdoor to you?"

"It was him, that fella from the newspapers, the one who did a bunk from that prison truck. I saw him with my own two eyes, was just putting some rubbish out when he strolled into the yard bold as brass. I asked him what he was doing there, he told me to mind me own business and get back inside. I did as I was told, he didn't look like he was in the mood for arguing. He went inside the house and then I heard crashing and banging about, like he was turning the place upside down. I watched as he came out, he had some papers in his hands, seemed to be very interested in what was on them." Mr Porter recounted sincerely, eyes never wavering from Sam's despite his obvious nervousness. His hands fidgeted constantly, picking at the cuffs of his brown jacket, smoothing his combed-over white hair across his bald pate.

"And you're absolutely sure the man you saw was Hugh Wallis?" Sam asked, knowing that Hugh was arrogant but wondering why he would show himself so openly and risk being caught.

"Aye, Hugh Wallis, that's his name. It was him alright, I'd swear on my life." The old man nodded vigorously as he confirmed his story.


	22. Chapter 22

"Ok so we've got a positive sighting of Hugh Wallis at five minutes to midnight, last night. He entered James King's house and searched through every draw and cupboard in the place before leaving, apparently with some papers which he appeared to be studying intently. Phil, any chance of visiting James again to see if he'll tell you what could be on those papers?" Sam waited for Phil to nod before continuing. "Terry, Suzie I want you checking out the CCTV from the surrounding area to see if we can get a clear picture of Hugh and any idea which way he was heading, if he had a vehicle or was on foot, if he is still with the men who helped him escape. Ramani, I want you to visit Lisa Carmichael, see if she knows anything about what Hugh might have been after, if he said anything while he was in prison. Mickey, Zain I need you to catch up on your paperwork for your other outstanding cases. I know it's not glamorous and I'm sure we'd all like to be working on making sure Hugh is back behind bars as soon as possible – but this isn't the only case we've got on our books at the moment. I don't want anyone saying that we're neglecting our duties because of this one case." Sam instructed the team under Jack's watchful eye, conscious of needing to appear in control and detached even as her mind worked overtime worrying in case details of Abi's whereabouts were contained on the papers Hugh had stolen. James King had known precisely where Abi would be and when, that sort of information did not come without some sort of intelligence or observation. She debated with herself silently as the team got to work; should she warn Abi and risk frightening her even more than she already was, or should she hold off and see what information they could gather before telling her daughter anything?

"What are you going to be doing today Sam?" Jack asked as he followed her into her office, surprising her as she hadn't been aware of his presence.

"I have my own mountain of paperwork to wade through and as much as I'd like to be the one to bring Hugh Wallis back to his prison cell, direct involvement could jeopardise any future conviction." Sam explained, raring to get her hands dirty in the investigation but knowing Jack would have none of it.

"Good, glad to see you're thinking sensibly. We want justice done, we don't want him getting off on a technicality." Jack concurred, knowing he would still have to keep a close eye on his DI such was her tendency to sneak off when his back was turned.

"No Sir, we don't." She muttered casting a glance towards her superior's retreating back.

* * *

Jo fidgeted restlessly as she wandered from the lounge to the kitchen to make herself another coffee.

"It's a wonder you sleep at night the amount of caffeine you drink in a day!" George grumbled light-heartedly.

"Ah but Dad, you know without it I'm a monster, so decide which you'd prefer: a well stocked caffeine addict who's pleasant, or a caffeine addict in withdrawal with none of the niceties." Jo smiled sweetly at him as she offered him the alternatives, rehashing an argument they had had many times over the years.

"You know I wouldn't change a thing about you for all the coffee in Kenya love, I'm only teasing." George patted her arm lovingly.

"I know Dad. Thanks, you know, for not treating me any differently. Mum's acting like I'm going to break in half at any moment, walking on egg shells all the time like she doesn't know what to say or what not to say. I know she's doing what she thinks is best but the only way I'm going to get through this is if people are open and honest with me. Will you promise me something?" Jo asked wrapping her hands around the steaming mug of her favourite beverage leaning against the work surface as she regarded her father over the top of the cup.

"If it was in my power to give it, I'd promise you the world." George answered, eliciting another sweet smile from his precious daughter albeit a more brief one before her face turned serious again.

"If I ever ask you questions about my past, about the months I have missing, will you answer me honestly, no matter how much it might hurt me to hear the truth?" Brow creased slightly, Jo locked her gaze with her father's, seeing a shadow of uncertainty flicker in his eyes before resignation dawned.

"If that's what you want sweetheart, I promise… and I promise to do everything I can to get your mum to do the same." George answered, pre-empting Jo's next question. "Mind me asking what's brought this on?" Jo took a sip of her coffee, grimacing as it scolded her tongue. She blew on the hot dark liquid for a moment, stalling for time as she fought to find the words to explain her 'dreams'.

"The last couple of days, I've been having these episodes, often when I'm sleeping but sometimes when I'm awake too." She paused, gathering her thoughts.

"What sort of episodes? Like seizures?" George asked worriedly, knowing that any such development should be investigated immediately.

"No, more like dreams really. But so vivid and familiar in a strange way – it's like I remember these things but I don't really remember. I'm not sure whether it's my mind playing tricks on me or if they're memories trying to sneak back in." Jo struggled to put it into words, to accurately describe the periods when she found herself watching disjointed scenes, fragments of events unfold in her mind.

"What sort of things have you been remembering?" George asked gently, guiding Jo to sit at the breakfast bar, wondering when his wife would be back from the shops, preferring to stay out of the emotional stuff as much as he loved his daughter.

"One keeps recurring; I can't see anything, it's pitch black and the pain – it hurts so much I just want to go to sleep then it'll stop. I can't move my arms, I feel like I'm being pulled up by them, my shoulder doesn't feel too good. I can hear voices, muffled and distorted like they're miles away and I'm hearing them through water but I can feel someone nearby, telling me I'm going to be ok, that she's sorry. I think it's Sam, her voice is too quiet to be sure but I feel like it's her, like I can see her in my head standing beside me. That's all really, I just keep seeing it over and over again." Jo frowned part of her hoping the memory wasn't real but suspecting it might be given the scar she had discovered when undressing for bed the night before. "Was I attacked?"

Remembering his vow to be honest, George nodded, taking one of Jo's hands in his own. "Yes sweetheart, I'm afraid you were. I'm so sorry."

"And was I assaulted, sexually?" Jo's voice grew quieter, her eyes focused on the tabletop before her.

"No you weren't. Now let that be an end to it." Alice answered from the doorway, eyes flashing angrily at her husband. "You'll remember in your own time, you don't need us telling you what happened."

"How can I remember when I never know what's real and what's my imagination playing tricks on me? If I can't ask you to help me remember, who can I ask?" Jo pleaded tearfully, the cheer from her conversation with Sam replaced by a crushing feeling of loneliness.

* * *

"James, Hugh Wallis trashed your house last night. Why would he do that?" Phil asked again, getting the distinct impression that King would happily sit and answer the same questions all day if it meant keeping out of the way.

"Wouldn't you be pissed at the person who snatched your kid? Like I said, he was probably looking for me, to teach me a lesson." King answered cockily.

"Looks like someone beat him to it." Phil observed, taking in the numerous bruises visible on the scruffy young man's face and arms.

"These? Nah man, I fell in the shower. Can be right clumsy sometimes." The prisoner waved Phil's concern away.

"Onto someone's outstretched fist was it? Come on muppet, I can see the knuckle marks on yer face. What was he looking for?" The sergeant asked, exasperation threatening to get the better of him.

"Who?"

"Lord bloody Lucan! Who d'ya think? Hugh Wallis – what was he looking for in your house? What do you keep written down that he might be interested in?" It was the first time Phil had mentioned the paperwork Hugh had been seen taking from the house and he was thrilled to see a brief flash of fear cross King's face.

"Maybe he decided to steal my bank details, get his own back by nicking my money while I'm outta the way."

"Yeah and maybe Kermit and Miss Piggy were your parents! Stop wasting my time. If you help me, I can make sure you don't have any more 'falls' in the shower, ok?" Phil leaned forward closing the distance between himself and King, who was looking a little more rattled than previously. "What is it you're afraid of James?"

"I ain't afraid of nothing and you can't offer me anything. I want to go now." King suddenly propelled himself up from the chair and strode towards the door leading back on to the wing, hammering on it to draw the guards attention.

"I'll keep coming back until you talk, you know that don't you James?" Phil offered by way of a parting shot as King was escorted from the room.

* * *

"Sam, it's Phil. King took a beating at the prison but he won't talk. I think if we give him a day or so more, he might be more willing to co-operate. He got spooked when I mentioned the papers Hugh was interested in, clammed up completely and couldn't get out of the room fast enough. His behaviour got me thinking so I asked if they'd let me know if he made any phone calls. I hadn't got out the gate before they called me back – he went straight to the phone. I've traced the call to a Ciaran O'Rourke, thought you might want to run a check on him." The sergeant reported in as he drove back towards the station, not wanting to wait that long to get the ball rolling on finding out who O'Rourke was.

"Thanks Phil, I'll get onto it straight away." Sam hung up the phone, making her way out of her office to follow up the lead when Gina Gold accosted her.

"Sam, got any bodies spare to look into a suspected arson attack?" Out of the corner of her eye, Sam could see Mickey and Zain's ears prick up, a subtle shift in their posture making it painfully clear they were eaves dropping, hoping for any form of release from the tedium of paperwork.

"Yeah I think Zain and Mickey could do with some fresh air. What have you got?" Sam asked, ushering the Inspector over to the two men, neither of whom should ever take up poker, Sam mentally noted watching their overzealous efforts to appear nonchalant.

"Neighbours reported smoke coming from around the front door shortly after a man was seen posting something through the letterbox. We've reports of a young woman, early twenties at most and a baby trapped inside. The address is 19 Ampley Gardens." Gina watched, one eyebrow raised in question as the blood visibly drained from Sam's face.

"Get me down there… NOW! My daughter's staying there with a friend, it was supposed to be her safe house." Sam was racing through the station as she finished the sentence, not stopping to grab her coat or bag, her only thought of reaching the house.

* * *

"Abi, oh thank God you're ok!" Sam gushed as she saw her daughter standing with a small group of onlookers on the pavement a short distance up from the house. She drew the young girl into her arms, kissing her tear stained face frantically.

"Mum, Joey's in there!" Abi sobbed, her fragile grip on stability slipping in the presence of her mum.

"They're doing everything they can to get him out. Who was looking after him? Is it Sarah in there?" Sam asked, looking down the road to the inferno blazing inside the mid-terrace property.

"I only nipped out for a second, we needed some more milk. She said she'd watch him for me, save getting his pushchair out." Abi sniffled, hiccupping slightly as her tears subsided.

"You wait here, I'll find out everything I can and come and talk to you in a minute, ok?" Sam waited for confirmation from her daughter before marching over to the cordon uniform had set up.

"Mike Dean, this is Detective Inspector Nixon, also from Sun Hill." Gina introduced Sam to the Chief Fire Officer, flashing her a look that said 'play nice'.

"How long before you can get the two out who are trapped inside?" Sam cut to the chase as always. "That's my grandson in there." Mike looked a little startled, though Sam was in no mood to guess whether he was surprised she was a grandmother or at her directness.

"I have one crew trying to contain the fire and another are making preparations to enter the property via a back window, away from the seat of the fire itself. We know that is where the young lady has taken the baby – she's on the line to one of our operators now. Both her and the baby are uninjured and our priority is to get them out as quickly but as safely as possible." The fire-fighter outlined the plan of action before making his excuses to leave, needing to get back to the team of officers in his command.

"I want to talk to the neighbour who saw the person that did this. I want a full description circulated to the press in time for tonight's editions." Sam allowed the adrenaline to settle, knowing that help was at hand for Joey and Sarah. Gina placed a hand on Sam's forearm, stalling her from leaving.

"Go and reassure Abi, leave the interviewing to us. I'm sure you'll get a chance to grill the witness when she comes in to make a full statement. Your daughter needs you now, Sam, go to her." Sam looked back to where Abi stood, looking for all the world like a little girl lost, and knew Gina was right. Walking towards her daughter, Sam offered a tremulous smile, hoping to calm the frantic young mum, knowing how she had felt thinking Abi herself was caught in the fire. Before she had crossed the short distance between them, she felt a warm rush overtake her, a deep rumbling boom sounding from behind her as the ground disappeared from beneath her feet. The last thing she saw before the world faded to black was her daughter's horrified face watching her fall.


	23. Chapter 23

_She was running down the stairs from CID towards the front desk, running as though her life depended on it. She skidded to a halt as she entered the interview room at the front of the building, seeing Tessa standing in the middle of the room, refusing to meet her gaze._

"_I've been worried sick, where've you been?" She heard herself ask, listening as her world was pulled from beneath her feet. She knew that things hadn't been perfect between them for some time but that didn't make it ok for her to sleep with someone else. And not just anyone else but with a man Jo had trusted her with, a man who had now made her pregnant.

* * *

_

Jo was dragged back to the present by catching movement out of the corner of her eye. Struggling to compose herself as she sat in the café in Manchester's City Centre, she forced her face into what she hoped was a warm smile of greeting.

"Gary, thanks for meeting me. It's good to see you again. I was going crazy stuck in the house all the time."

"Hiya Jo, how ya doin'? Want a refill?" Gary gestured to the cup in front of the already seated brunette.

"Thanks Gary but I think it's about time I got the drinks in don't you?" Jo smiled more genuinely as she remembered the times Gary had become fed up with being the tea boy on cases they had worked together. Gary grinned cheekily, flopping into the chair opposite Jo's making it clear he wasn't about to argue the point. "So, what's your poison?" She asked wryly.

"Black coffee cheers Jo, the stronger the better." Gary stifled a yawn, still trying to recover from the late night out with the lads the night before. Jo left the table waiting patiently in the short queue, reflecting on her latest recollection, knowing in her heart that it was real no matter how much she might wish it wasn't. After being served, the brunette returned to the table pushing Gary's coffee towards him with a clatter, having to suppress a giggle as his eyes shot open and he bolted upright in his seat.

"Good night was it?" She asked with a broad grin, shaking her head slightly at the realisation had changed with the hapless young man.

"Thanks, I need this! So how are you? Remember anything yet?" Trust Gary to forego the normal diplomacy and crash straight in to the heart of the matter, Jo thought.

"I've been better but I'll live. Things are beginning to come back little by little I think. It's a bit hard to tell what's a memory and what's a dream sometimes but you know, I have to be patient." Jo shrugged, sipping her own black coffee. "Anyway, how are you getting on? How's things with your mum now? GMP treating you well?"

"I'm loving it up here. Me and Mum are like that now…" Gary crossed two of his fingers over one another, eliciting another smile from Jo in the face of his enthusiasm. "And I'm a full time DC now, with me own desk and everythin'. And none of 'em take the Mick like Suzie did." A shadow passed over Gary's face briefly, a sullen petulant expression settling as he recalled his reasons for leaving Sun Hill. "She still there?" He asked nonchalantly, not quite passing it off as a casual enquiry.

"Yeah, she just went for her sergeant's exams. She failed!" Jo informed him, suddenly stopping as she wondered where she'd dragged that little nugget of information up from, wracking her mind to see if she could recall anyone telling her recently. A thrill of hope coursed through her as she found no such memory. Gary watched as the brunette's brain worked overtime behind her eyes.

"When was that?" He pressed, knowing the answer but wondering if Jo would be able to recall the exuberant telephone conversation they had shared after she had heard the news, knowing Gary would delight in hearing of Suzie's downfall.

"I don't remember, I don't even know how I remember that!" Jo moaned frustrated, wishing her memory would make its mind to return fully rather than in tantalising snippets.

"It's a start though, a step in the right direction and all that." Gary placated his friend. A few moments silence passed between them, both lost in their own thoughts, comfortable enough with one another for it not to be awkward. "Fancy going seeing a film or something, my shout? I'm not on shift today and I've nothing special planned. It's not often I get to see you these days." Jo considered the alternative, spending the day at home with Alice tiptoeing around her constantly and George's false cheerfulness.

"Sure, what've you got in mind? Not another one of those pathetic horror films you inflicted on me last time! I swear I will never forgive you for taking me to see that horrific excuse for a film."

"It wasn't that bad! You're just squeamish you are!" Gary fired back with a grin.

"Bad? Gary, there wasn't even an attempt at a plot, just a load of people being killed in the most gruesome way imaginable." Jo countered, remembering how her stomach had turned at the images on the screen. "Tessa nearly left me that night because she'd spent the whole day preparing a special meal and I couldn't eat a thing!" Both of them laughed, Jo thinking that Gary reminded her so much of Guy, contemplating that was possibly why she was so fond of him, and so protective.

"Ok, fine you choose something then – but no soppy chic-flicks, I'm not seeing Pride and Prejudice or anything!"

"Not even for Keira Knightley?" Jo teased him gently.

"If I want to drool over her, I'll watch Domino thanks," he shot back, bottom lip jutting out as he nodded his head.

"Ah Gary, ever image conscious!"

"Yeah well, I've got to be 'aven't I? Got a reputation to maintain!" Jo spluttered the mouthful of coffee she had just taken over the table in front of her, hand flying to her mouth to disguise her mirth at the young DC's words. "I gotta take a leak, then we can head off yeah? Get in before twelve and it's half price."

"Gary, you know just how to spoil a girl don't you?" Jo shook her head mopping up the liquid she had ejected with a paper napkin.

"I'm not made of money, us lowly DC's get a pittance for a wage up here ya know!" Gary complained before scuttling off to the gents' as though his pants were on fire.

'Never could hold his coffee,' Jo recalled with a smirk.

* * *

_Jo felt small strong arms wrap around her as her tears fell, kisses lightly dropped into her hair, the first bars of a familiar song playing quietly in the background. Despite the crushing tiredness, Jo became aware of her comforter's body pressed so close to her own, wrapping her own arms tightly around the slender frame, hearing Sam's voice murmuring reassurances in between the soft kisses before darkness descended._

Everything faded except for the closing bars of Coldplay's 'Fix You' as Jo looked up into Gary's expectant face. "I need to speak to Sam." Jo's voice held a note of urgency, something telling her it was important to ring the woman who had obviously offered her compassion in the face of her relationship breakdown.

* * *

"You have reached the O2 voicemail messaging service for 07832561298, please leave your message after the tone." Jo growled in frustration as her call was immediately diverted through to Sam's answer phone, tapping on the dashboard of Gary's car. 

"Try the station, she might be in an interview or something." Gary suggested, nudging Jo towards keeping trying to contact the woman she had been involved with prior to her accident.

Jo scrolled through her contacts list trying to find an entry under 'work'. Finally locating the number, she punched the button to dial, bouncing one leg up and down agitatedly as she listened to the front desk clerk run through the standard greeting. "This is DS Masters, I'm trying to reach DI Nixon."

"Just a moment please." The line clicked as Jo was put on hold. She rolled her eyes at Gary, butterflies beginning to gather in her stomach at the thought of speaking to Sam.

"Jo? It's Phil Hunter. How you doin'?" Phil's voice was gruff on the other end of the line as though trying to mask his affection for Jo.

"I'm fine thanks, well… as well as I can be in the circumstances. Is Sam about?" Jo asked wondering why it was so difficult to reach the cute blonde when she really wanted to talk to her.

"Sam's not here just now, she's had to take a few days off." Something about the tone of Phil's voice set alarm bells clanging in Jo's mind.

"Why? What's happened? She is ok right? Why's she not answering her mobile?" The brunette asked hurriedly.

"Sam's fine physically, she's just taken some time out for a family matter." It felt strange to Phil not filling Jo in on the details but he was unsure how much he could tell Jo without jeopardising her recovery.

"What family matter?" Fragments of memories crowded the edges of Jo's consciousness, eluding her attempts to draw them forward.

"There was an incident involving her daughter and grandson, she's taken some time off to be with Abi. The house they were staying at was torched." Phil elaborated slightly, hoping he was about to do the right thing. "The baby's in hospital, in a pretty bad way. Sam's not left his side for three days." His concern for Sam's welfare overcame his fear that Jo might have a setback, knowing that despite everything, the brunette was the only one who held any power over Sam.

"Which hospital?" Gary's head snapped round at that, his face a picture of concern, frown deepening as the colour faded from Jo's cheeks. Phil gave Jo the details, offering her a phone number which she accepted gratefully. "Thanks Phil, I'll be in touch." Jo ended the conversation, turning to Gary waiting impatiently in the driver's seat.

"Well?" Gary prompted when Jo failed to speak immediately.

"I need to go back, I need to be there. Sam was there for me with Tessa, I remember that now. She needs a friend… I owe her that much at the very least." Jo told him with a quiet intensity, compassion burning in her eyes.

"What's happened? She is ok, isn't she?" Gary asked, still confused.

"Her grandson's in hospital, someone set light to the house while he was inside it. Sam won't leave his bedside. Gary, do you mind dropping me at Mum's? I need to pack and make arrangements for getting back to London." Jo explained.

"I'll take you all the way to London, be quicker and easier than the train and save your Dad making the trip again." Gary offered generously.

"I can't ask that of you Gary but thank you. You'll make someone really happy some day you know, don't ever change." Jo smiled fondly at her friend.

"I'm on leave for the next week anyway and I'd be happier knowing you weren't on your own worrying all the way to London," Gary insisted, starting up the engine and deftly negotiating his way out into the city traffic.

* * *

Jo walked along the hushed corridor, her spine tingling in her unease at being back in a hospital so soon after leaving. Rounding the corner she spied the lonely figure intently watching through the window of the paediatric intensive care unit. She gestured silently for Gary to wait where he was, closing the rest of the distance between herself and the petite blonde woman alone. 

"Sam…" she muttered softly, not wanting to startle her, reaching an arm out to wrap around her shoulders but letting it drop again before making contact, unsure how the overture would be taken. Jo looked into the room, her heart clenching at the vision of the baby's tiny form surrounded by paraphernalia and machinery, the young girl she had awoken to in her hospital room sitting beside the cot. "How's he doing?" She asked quietly, afraid to speak any louder and risk disturbing the eerie peace.

"Not great, he's on a ventilator to help him breathe; the smoke inhalation's made it difficult for him to breathe on his own." Sam replied, eyes never wavering from the scene before her despite Jo's sudden, unexpected appearance.

"What happened?" Jo remained rooted to Sam's side, facing the blonde with her body as her head twisted to look through the blind-slatted window.

"Abi had been staying with a friend, Sarah after Hugh escaped from prison, I thought she'd be safe. Four days ago, someone poured gasoline through the letterbox and then pushed a lit rag through after it. Abi had nipped out to the shop, Sarah was looking after Joey, both of them were caught in the fire. I arrived on the scene just as the fire brigade were getting ready to rescue Sarah and Joey. As they carried Joey down the ladder, the fire reached the boiler and blew the house apart. Sarah didn't make it, two fire-fighters were seriously injured and if it wasn't for the bravery of the guy holding Joey, my grandson could have died too. He used his own body to shield Joey from the worst of the blast, even having the presence of mind to stop himself from landing on him when they fell. And it's all my fault." Sam recounted monotonously, her words devoid of emotion except for the contempt that filled her last statement.

"How do you figure that out? You didn't set alight to the house. None of this is down to you." Jo watched as Sam produced a single sheet of folded A4 paper from her pocket, dog-eared and scruffy from numerous readings.

"This was waiting for me at home. I picked it up the day after the fire, I haven't been back since." Jo unfolded the paper carefully, knowing any useful forensic evidence was long since gone if Sam had been handling and carrying it for days. Her breath caught in her throat as a photograph of the exploding house was revealed with a jaggedly typed message beneath the image, in blood-red lettering:

**Suffer The Children**


	24. Chapter 24

"You've told the team investigating the attack about this, right?" Jo asked, certain that Sam would have shared it, knowing it could prove vital to the investigation. Sam's failure to respond shook that certainty. "Why would you not tell anyone about this? Sam?"

"It's obvious who it's from, what's the point?" Sam muttered bitterly moving to snatch the page back, turning an icy glare on Jo as it was put out of her reach.

"You think Hugh sent this? All the more reason you should hand it over to the police and let them use it as evidence." Jo beckoned to Gary handing the sheet to him and instructing him to take it to Sun Hill, ignoring Sam's feeble protestations. Gary shot off, afraid to stick around in case Sam tried to wrestle the paper back from him.

"Who the hell else is likely to have sent that? Did you come back just to irritate me?" Sam fired at Jo, eyes blazing angrily, knowing she was being unreasonable but unable to check her frustration.

Jo smiled softly, recognising this as the fiery Sam she remembered from the incident with Seth. "I came back so I could be here for you, like you were there for me with Tessa." Jo waited to see if Sam would react. She was not disappointed.

"You remember that?" Jo nodded slightly, wishing she could reach out and pull Sam to her.

"Things are still patchy but I remember enough to know it's my turn to offer you someone to lean on, to vent your frustrations on without fear of recrimination. I figure it's the least I must owe you." Pausing, Jo took in Sam's appearance, noting the graze on her forehead and having to use all her self-restraint not to reach out and caress it. "What happened to your head?"

"It's nothing, just a graze. The explosion knocked me off my feet." Sam brushed aside Jo's concern turning her attention back to her grandson.

"When was the last time you slept? And ate or drank anything?" This time Jo did reach out a hand, resting it on Sam's forearm. The blonde looked down at the point of contact, blinking as though expecting it to be a figment of her imagination. "Please Sam, let me take you home for a while. No matter what happens, you need to take care of yourself too." Seeing Sam's bottom lip begin to tremble, her eyes still trained on Jo's hand, Jo moved closer sliding her arm around Sam's shoulders and pulling her into her body. It felt like coming home for both women, aware only of the press of their bodies together. Erotic visions, day dreams, assaulted the brunette's mind as waves of arousal crashed through her body. Jo relished in the sensations flooding her core before panicking, worried how she could possibly hope to keep the relationship platonic with such distracting images drenching her mind.

Abi looked up as the doctor who had been attending to Joey left the room, catching sight of her mother being cradled tenderly in Jo's arms, doing a double take at the brunette's presence. Rising from her chair, groaning at the stiff muscles' objections but pushing through the pain.

"Hi," she offered shyly as she popped her head around the door, unsure of the state of Jo's memory.

"Hi, how's he doing?" Jo asked, still holding onto Sam who seemed content to remain moulded to the taller woman's side.

"It's good news, they're hopeful they'll be able to extubate him tomorrow if he keeps improving as he is." Abi smiled tearfully. Sam looked up at Jo, giddy with the swirl of emotions coursing through her veins.

"You're just one big good luck charm Jo Masters." All three women laughed.

"Right that's it, no excuses now then. You're coming for a break with me. You've been here for over 72 hours, you need some sleep and some food, in that order." Jo instructed, manipulating Sam towards the exit, winking at Abi as she disappeared back into the room housing her son.

* * *

Jo sat in the car for a moment after pulling up outside Sam's house, taking in the exterior of the building a strange sense of familiarity settling over her despite having no conscious recollection of having been there before. She looked across to where Sam sat in the passenger seat dozing, smiling tenderly at the angelic figure she cut.

"_Oh God yes Jo! Mmmm right there. Harder. Oh God Jo, take me." Sam writhed beneath her, skin flushed and damp with perspiration as her climax neared. "Uuuuuunnnghhh!" The ecstatic blonde arched off the bed as Jo suckled on her clitoris and drove her fingers deep into her._ 'Well that was certainly a less angelic image', Jo thought as the vision cleared, blushing madly as she found Sam staring at her quizzically having been woken by the car stopping.

Sam considered asking Jo where she had mentally wandered off to, stopping as she watched the crimson blush work its way over her sheepish features, thinking it best to ignore it andsure she would be seeing that expression of thinly veiledlust in her dreams. "Shall we go inside?" She cleared her throat, hearing a familiar huskiness reverberating around the confines of her car, betraying her own desire for the brunette. Jo nodded, not trusting herself to speak, still feeling the heat from her blush radiating around her head, climbing out of the car grateful for the blast of cool air which met her.

"Shall I put the kettle on?" Sam busied herself flicking through the post idly, half expecting another gift from Hugh before wandering through to the kitchen.

"Feel free, I might have to nip out for some milk though. The bottle in was on its last legs at the weekend and with not being here since I haven't replaced it!" She commented, flashing an apologetic smile at Jo. The brunette stooped down and studied the meagre contents of the fridge, tutting before turning her attention to the cupboards and finding them equally bare.

"You go and run yourself a bath or take a shower or have a lie down or something, anything to relax for a bit. I'll run to the shops and get some food and bits in." Jo instructed shooing Sam towards the staircase.

"If you insist, take some money from my purse. It's in the middle section of my handbag, help yourself." Sam insisted wearily, climbing the stairs, not having the energy to argue after only a few hours sleep over the past three nights.

As Sam disappeared from view, Jo sought out the money, laughingly considering 'handbag' to be an understatement, Sam's bag resembling a suitcase. Locating the purse with surprising ease, Jo opened the back section, picking out a ten pound note before noticing the photograph tucked into a clear plastic pocket in front. She teased the small picture from its resting place, studying it intently, hope and confusion battling within her at the scene depicted. Hearing movement on the stairs, the brunette hurriedly tucked the photo and the money into her jeans pocket replacing the purse and heading into the hallway.

"Did you find it ok?" Sam asked from halfway down the steps.

"What's that?" Jo asked, still distracted by thoughts of the photo burning a hole in her pocket.

"My purse? Did you get some money for the shopping?"

"Oh yeah… yeah sure, I found it fine. Anything in particular you fancy?" Sam felt a tingling in her groin as she thought about the truth of that.

"Erm, something light will do me fine; just something for a sandwich," she managed to stutter, feeling her own skin heat up as her thoughts turned blue.

"OK, well put your feet up, relax. I'll be back shortly." Jo felt an insane urge to kiss Sam before she left, settling for a brief smile instead, wondering if this tension had always existed between them and what the photo meant.

* * *

Jo hummed quietly to herself as she strolled around the mini-supermarket gathering supplies for herself and Sam. She felt her phone vibrate against her hip, placing the basket on the ground and delving into her pocket to retrieve the mobile.

"Jo Masters," she answered brightly, flicking her hair back away from her face.

"Jo, it's Gary. I'm back at the hospital, where are you?" The brunette glanced around feeling sheepish for forgetting about her friend.

"Sorry Gary, I'm just grabbing some shopping. I brought Sam home. Did you take that note in to Sun Hill?" Jo spoke in hushed tones not wishing for anyone to overhear, her location not ideal for such a discussion but not to be helped.

"Yeah, they were very interested to say the least. Phil Hunter was fuming that Sam hadn't told him about it before. Touch of the green-eyed monster if you ask me, can't stand you being able to get info out of her so easily when he has to work at even getting a smile!" Gary blabbered jovially, having enjoyed walking back into the station with confidence he hadn't left with so many months ago. "It was good to catch up with the guys again, we're going out for drinks later if you don't mind me leaving you to it? Tony invited me along, wants me to meet the fresh-bloods. Even Honey was all over me if you can believe it!"

"Sounds great Gary, you go ahead and have a good time. You got somewhere you can stay or do you want me to get Sam to make up a bed on her sofa?" Jo asked wondering if Sam would mind her staying over let alone the prospect of Gary kipping on her sofa.

"Nah, I'm sound, Tony's said I can stay at his gaff. Thanks though."

"You sticking around for a few days before heading back to Manchester?" The brunette enquired as she picked up a jar of raspberry jam, inspecting it thoughtfully before depositing it in the basket.

"Yeah thought I'd stay for a day or two, we still have a date with a movie if you're up for it?" Gary pestered good-naturedly. After agreeing to meeting him in a couple of days, Jo hung up, replacing her mobile in her pocket.

* * *

Sam raced around the house suddenly remembering she'd have to make it Jo-proof, removing all evidence of their previous relationship and transferring clothing and belongings to the spare room. Her own room looked bare and unwelcoming without all the personal little touches that had kept Jo close despite her physical absence. Sam conceded that she would rather have Jo so close by than just her memories to keep her company, even if it meant having to remove all trace of her from her personal space. Just as she finished transferring the last of Jo's boots into the spare room's wardrobe, Sam heard the front door click shut. She casually sauntered to the top of the stairs, descending them to follow Jo into the kitchen, frowning when there was no sign of the voluptuous brunette. She turned on her heel, shrieking as a man stepped into the hallway barring her exit. 


	25. Chapter 25

"Sam, it's ok, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here because as much as it pains me to admit it, I need your help." Hugh stepped backwards hoping to demonstrate to Sam that he had no intention of making a grab for her. Instincts telling her not to trust him for a moment, Sam grabbed a long knife from the block beside the sink, never once taking her eyes off the intruder.

"My _help_!" Sam screamed at him. "You arrange for my grandson to be abducted and then not content with that you make sure the house he's staying in is burnt to the ground. And you're asking for my help? What is it you want me to do for you Hugh, get Abi out of the way so you can finish the job you started? Get out of my house before I slice you limb from limb." Sam spat murderously, adrenaline and anger driving her onwards.

"I never harmed him; the bomb, the abduction, the fire – none of them had anything to do with me, not in the way you think. If I was behind it, do you think I'd be here now? Do you think I'd have been sent one of these?" Hugh produced a folded piece of A4 paper bearing an identical message to the one Jo had taken off Sam at the hospital but where Sam's had read '**Suffer The Children**', Hugh's stated chillingly, '**For The Sins Of The Father**'.

"Not this time Hugh, I'm not biting. I know you sent that to me, to remind me of the power games you love to play so much." The knife shook in Sam's hand, her rage threatening to spill out of control. She cursed herself as she realised her mobile was still upstairs by the bed, the landline handset in the hallway beyond Hugh.

"I admit that I got Abi to come to the prison to get at you; I wanted to make sure you knew I was appealing my sentence. But that's all I did, I swear on my son's life." Something about Hugh's protestation wrangled with Sam's conscience, the knife lowering ever so slightly, sub-consciously.

"Jo'll be back any minute, she'll make you wish you'd never been born." Sam's eyes flicked to the front door over Hugh's shoulder, a petrifying thought striking her. "How did you get in here?"

"I had a set of keys cut from Abi's when she was living with me. Just hear me out and then I'll go, I promise." Hugh pleaded, tucking his copy of the note back into his jacket pocket. When Sam said nothing, he took that as permission to continue. "Years ago, I made a mistake. It's coming back to haunt me now – someone is trying to use Joey to hurt me. I need you to look into a Ciaran O'Rourke, see where he is, what he's doing but you'll have to be discrete about it. He has friends everywhere it would seem." The name froze Sam's blood in her veins, recognising it instantly as the name Phil had mentioned earlier, the man who James King had phoned following Phil's visit.

Recovering instantly and not wanting to show her hand too soon, Sam asked, "and why would I want to do any digging on anyone for you? Next thing I know, they end up dead and I'm looking at a conspiracy charge. You shot a man in cold blood, Jack Meadows watched you do it! I have absolutely no reason or desire to believe or trust you. If you leave now of your own accord, I might consider giving you a head start before I set my colleagues on your trail." Sam scoffed at the suggestion she would take anything he said seriously.

"I got his daughter pregnant but she lost the baby for which he blames me. I can only surmise that he found out about my having a son and wants to even the score. If you don't take this seriously, you'll be putting Joey's life in greater danger. At least make sure someone watches him and Abi at all times." Hugh insisted.

"What makes you so sure they aren't already under police guard?" Sam asked, fear pricking her senses.

"Because I've been to the hospital this afternoon and I didn't see a single officer there, not so much as a security guard in sight." Hugh admitted chillingly. "Come on Sam, think about it. If I wanted to kill Joey and or Abi, knowing that they're at the hospital unguarded, do you really think I'd be here begging for your help? I'll be in touch to see what you've found out." Hugh rushed around Sam as he heard the front gate open making a break for the backdoor. Sam replaced the knife into the block, calmly closing the door behind him and turning to face Jo with a beaming smile as she walked through the front door, not ready to share her experience with anyone else just yet.

"Hey, you're supposed to be resting!" Jo admonished gently, unable to remain gruff in the face of Sam's sweet grin.

"I was too restless." Sam lied easily, feeling guilty all the same as she made a mental note to get the locks changed as soon as possible.

"Well, I got a variety of options for sandwiches, two pints of milk, a loaf of bread and some salad ingredients." Jo laid her purchases on the counter leaving Sam to decide what she wanted while she returned the change to Sam's purse, considering replacing the photograph but reluctant to part with it just yet.

"Jam?" Sam queried with raised eyebrows as Jo re-entered the kitchen.

"A girl's gotta have something to put on her toast in a morning!" Jo grinned broadly taking the jar from Sam's outstretched hand and placing it in the cupboard above the toaster.

"You're planning on staying then." It was more of a statement than a question, one tinged with a thrill of excitement and hope.

"If you'll have me?" Jo retorted, a little apprehensive in case she was totally misreading the signals, her synapses still liable to the odd misfire.

"Of course I will Jo, you shouldn't need to ask." Sam continued to root in the bags of goodies Jo had brought in with her, pulling out an fluffy, incredibly cute toy rabbit. "Bit old for this aren't you?" Sam teased her lover. Jo thought of what she would like to cuddle in bed and it definitely didn't have long, floppy ears, glad she could excuse her blush as a result of Sam's question.

"Oh yeah, I owe you for that. It's for Joey, I thought he might find it comforting. He looked so little, so lost in that cot." Jo mumbled bashfully, taking the soft yellow rabbit and absent-mindedly playing with its ears.

* * *

"Sam, are you still awake?" The softly spoken question was barely audible to the petite blonde as she sat propped up against her pillows reading.

"Yeah, come in" She called to her late night visitor. As Jo entered, a sheepish expression adorning her attractive face, Sam asked, "what's up? You need something?"

"I was sort of hoping I might be able to sit with you for a while. I can't sleep, every time I close my eyes I keep seeing all these disjointed images going through my mind. I have no idea whether they're things I should remember, or my imagination playing tricks on me. It's getting to be like white noise, always there in the background but easier to ignore when I'm with people. When I'm on my own, it's deafening and frustrating…" Sam tossed aside the duvet beside her on the bed patting the space, inviting Jo to join her. Warning bells sounded their klaxons in her head at the thought of such intimate proximity to Jo, knowing she would have to exercise every last ounce of self control. Whilst she had resigned herself to being a friend to the brunette, the more her personality re-asserted itself, the harder it became to ignore the deep-seated attraction she had always felt to the buxom northerner.

"…and somewhat disconcerting I should imagine. Hop in, it's too cold to be out from under a duvet." The compassionate blonde smiled at her housemate.

"I'm not going to suffer a relapse of hypothermia just because I get a bit chilly, Sam." Jo returned the smile as she perched awkwardly at the foot of Sam's bed.

"I know that, I just don't believe in being uncomfortable if you don't have to – and being cold is definitely uncomfortable." Sam explained, raising her eyebrows as she once again patted the empty space beside her. Relenting with a sigh, Jo climbed into the vacant spot, relishing the heat as Sam guided the duvet over her body. Sam was quiet for a few moments as Jo made herself at home, watching her struggle to arrange pillows behind her, still hampered by her healing rib fractures. "Let me give you a hand with that." Sam reached over before Jo could protest, holding the pillows in place with one hand and guiding Jo back onto them with the other.

"Thanks." Jo swallowed, her mouth and throat suddenly parched at the feel of Sam touching her so tenderly whilst lying in bed together. Thinking back to her find earlier in Sam's purse, emotions chased through her body, swiftly followed by a surge of arousal which settled achingly at the apex of her thighs.

Watching the rapidly changing expressions flash across Jo's face and assuming she was being bombarded by more visions, Sam asked gently, "want to talk about the images?" Sam picked up her book, which she had placed face down on the covers when Jo had entered the room, twisting to place it on her bedside cabinet.

"Not really." Jo answered, not ready to share these particular thoughts with the petite blonde yet, unsure what to make of them herself. "What are you reading?" The brunette craned her neck to try and see what the book was Sam had been engrossed in.

"Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café." Sam informed her, waiting to see if it triggered any sort of memory in the woman who had recommended the book to her.

Smiling fondly, a look of mild surprise on her face, Jo admitted, "I love that book, I think it's one of my favourite reads of all time. I remember the first time I finished it, I wanted to start it all over again just so I could keep reading about the characters. Are you enjoying it? I wouldn't have thought that your style."

"Mmm yeah, it's great. Really heart warming in places and tear-jerking in others. So, what would you have guessed my style was then, if you had to pick one? Who would you think I'd read?" Sam asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"I don't know, something more intellectually challenging I suppose. Something along the lines of 'Sophie's World' maybe or some of the classics, 'Wuthering Heights' perhaps with all that drama. Or maybe psychological thrillers – given that you have this obsession with getting into the minds of criminals; I'll bet you're one of those that loves to read Patricia Cornwell, PJ Tracy, Karin Slaughter and the like to see if you can solve the crimes before the perpetrator's revealed." Jo warmed to her dissection as she spoke, studying Sam's face for any kind of reaction, strangely elated when a hint of a blush crept up from her neck.

"Did you never consider profiling? You'd be a natural with your astute observations." Sam mentioned noncommittally, neither confirming Jo's thoughts to be correct, nor dismissing them out of hand. In truth, Sam was feeling rather giddy, hoping that some part of Jo remembered the long discussions they had had about books they had both read, so accurate was her prediction.

"Not really my style, sitting around in a room trying to look into the criminal mind. I'd rather be out there finding them so that I can look into their eyes as I arrest them instead."

"Yeah…at all costs." Sam murmured, shivering at the memories of the moment she had learned of Jo's plunge into the river.

Jo pushed her hand into the pocket of the jeans she was still wearing, catching the edge of the photograph with her fingers. "You know, when I woke up in the hospital, I couldn't imagine you and I ever being friends, let alone sharing a house. All I could see was the self-righteous, impetuous, stubborn sergeant who'd screwed everything up between me and Seth. I'm sorry if I was rude to you; I'm glad you gave me a chance to see past that again. That said… I'm still not sure we can be friends…"


	26. Chapter 26

Jo twisted on the bed so that she could look into Sam's face, seeing tears spring to her eyes before she turned away, her body language threatening to close her off. "Sam, please look at me." She waited for the blonde to comply, reaching around her and gently manipulating her head back towards her. "You shouldn't always assume the worst, not until you've heard everything I was going to say. I'm not sure I can be your friend because every time I look at you, all I want to do… is this…" Jo drew her face closer to Sam's whose chin was still cradled in the palm of Jo's hand. Tilting the blonde head slightly allowing her better access, Jo captured her trembling lips with her own, caressing them with as much tenderness as she could muster. Sam's mind reeled, convinced that she would wake up at any moment, adrenaline and arousal coursing through her veins as she responded hungrily to the kiss. Both women were breathless from the intensity of the kiss when they finally broke apart. Sam knew that if Jo returned to the spare room that night, relief would have to be sought at her own hand such was the blissful throbbing sensation pounding in her groin.

"Jo…I…" Sam found herself speechless, not sure what Jo's kissing her meant, if it meant anything.

Retrieving the photograph from her pocket, Jo looked at it smiling happily before handing it over to a suddenly very curious Sam. "Can I take it that this photo isn't lying then? Was something going on between us before my accident? If so, why didn't you tell me?" Sam gazed at the picture, taken the night of their engagement party: the happy couple cuddled close together, Jo grinning at her adoringly as a beaming Sam flashed her ring to the camera, arms wrapped around one another.

"Where did you find this?" The petite blonde drew her eyes to Jo's face, still close enough for her to feel Jo's breath tickling her cheek.

"In your purse. I spotted it when I grabbed the money for the shopping earlier. You haven't answered my questions. Were we in a relationship?" Jo felt an excitement building within her, feeling like this was the key that would help all the visions slot into place.

"This was taken the night we celebrated our engagement with friends and family. One of the happiest nights of my life." Sam's voice cracked as she remembered how special and safe she had felt being whisked around the room by Jo's side, accepting everyone's congratulations and showing the ring to anyone who would look.

"We're engaged? Why didn't you tell me?" Jo's emotions jostled for supremacy; fear, elation, insecurity, anger. "Are you having second thoughts and this is a convenient way to get out of it?"

"The doctors thought it best that you came to remember in your own time. I had to trust that if it was meant to be, we'd find our way to one another again. I didn't want to force you into carrying on a relationship you had no memory of if it wasn't what you wanted." Sam averted her eyes, feeling the weeks of strain threatening to release themselves in a torrent of tears.

"Well at least I now know I don't just have a one track mind! I keep having these flashes of images whenever I see you; of me kissing you, touching you, crying your name as you… well you get the idea." Jo was bashful as some of the steamier moments sprung into her mind, adding fuel to her already raging hormones.

"And now you know, how do you feel about the idea of us being together?" Sam asked tentatively, worried about the answer she might receive.

Jo thought about it for long moments before opening her mouth to respond, closing it again as she struggled to find adequate words. Deciding she could recite an entire dictionary and still not be satisfied, Jo leaned in to capture Sam's lips once again, tenderly lavishing caresses upon her lover until they were both writhing uncomfortably, needing greater contact. Breaking apart, Sam looked at Jo breathing heavily, allowing herself to hope that everything would work itself out.

"As much I enjoy that, I need to hear you say it Jo. I need to know you want to be with me and that this isn't some knee-jerk reaction to remembering your split with Tessa." Sam risked destroying the moment, closing her eyes as Jo shifted her position.

"I don't have all the answers Sam and I can't make many promises to you, but I can make this one; I promise that it is you I want to be with, one hundred per cent, and it has been ever since I arrived at Sun Hill, if I'm honest. All I know for sure right now is that being with you here, kissing you, holding you, it makes me feel complete. I feel like I'm home, I'm whole and I only ever get that feeling with you. So, if… if you'll still have me and if you'll be patient with me, will you still marry me?" Jo swallowed hard as Sam's face spun back to her having turned away as she started to speak. Sam took in the imploring, sincerely devoted expression and knew nothing would ever make her change her mind. Fishing a length of simple gold chain from inside her nightdress, Sam presented the white gold wishbone ring set with a single tiny diamond Jo had given to her originally with a smile.

"I couldn't wear it on my finger while you didn't remember, but I couldn't bear to not wear it at all. Nothing's changed for me, except maybe for a realisation that I could _never_ be without you. If we could arrange it, I would marry you tomorrow sweetheart. I didn't think it was possible to love someone as much as I love you." Jo reached around Sam's neck finding the clasp for the chain and undoing it, sliding the ring off into her palm. Taking the fragile looking band between a finger and thumb whilst tenderly extending Sam's hand with the other, Jo slipped the ring back into its rightful place on Sam's slender finger, eyes locked in a smouldering wordless exchange.

"I love you too Sam, with all that I am and all that I have. I want to share every moment of every day with you, be it good, bad or positively mundane." Their kiss began sweetly, the gently roaring flames of passion soon igniting once again into a raging inferno that only the other's touch could extinguish.

* * *

"Morning. You look better but you still look like you could use more sleep!" Abi admonished, feeling her own cheeks turn crimson as Jo and her mother exchanged a sheepish glance before looking away from one another, Jo having to bite her top lip to prevent from laughing out loud.

Clearing her throat and scratching the back of her head idly, Sam asked, "how's Joey this morning?" The glint of metal caught Abi's eye, her gaze homing in on the simple band adorning Sam's ring finger.

"He's doing great." The exuberant teenager grabbed her mother's hand examining the ring she hadn't seen in weeks. "This looks like good news." She stated switching her gaze from her mother to Jo who found something interesting to study on one of the wall notices.

"Yeah, it is." Sam commented quietly, leaning into the tall brunette by her side, feeling an arm slip around her waist automatically.

"There are still plenty of holes, things I can't quite remember but it's coming back to me. Fortunately, my good sense where your mum's concerned came back quicker than most things." Jo explained before handing over the stuffed rabbit she had bought the previous day. "I thought the young fella might like some company in that big bed of his."

* * *

"Phil, my office, now!" DCI Meadows bellowed through the doorway to CID, all heads snapping to attention in his direction. Phil leapt from his chair like a scolded cat wondering what he could have possibly done this time, having been chasing up mostly red herrings and dead-end leads in recent days.

"Sir?" He hovered in front of the desk eyes flicking downwards as an envelope was tossed across the table towards him.

"Where's Sam?" Jack barked.

"I presume she's still at the hospital. Jo was came down from Manchester yesterday but I've not heard from either of them. Gary Best called in with that note Sam received but that's the only contact we've had in the last few days. Why?" Phil wracked his brain, wondering where this was going.

"Put these on and take a look at the contents of that envelope. It arrived anonymously this morning." Phil donned the proffered pair of latex gloves and tipped up the brown paper envelope, taking in the typed label and postmark automatically. Three photos spilled out onto the tabletop, one of Hugh Wallis entering Sam's house obviously using a key, the second of Hugh and Sam talking in the kitchen of her home and the third showing Sam closing the back door as Hugh walked away. "From your expression, am I to presume you knew nothing of her meeting with Hugh Wallis?"

"Guv why would she meet with him? She can't stand the man. She knows what he's capable of, what he's done. This doesn't make sense. Did you have someone watching the house?" The questions and concerns tumbled out of Phil's mouth randomly as his brain tried to compute what the pictures seemed to suggest.

"I want you to ask Samantha if she's heard from Hugh; use the note Gary handed in yesterday as an excuse, ask if she's had any more or if she's been contacted in any other way by Hugh. Don't let on about these pictures, I want to see if she'll volunteer the information." Jack scooped up the photos, slipping them back into the envelope and then into an evidence bag before locking them in his desk drawer until such a time when he had enough facts to decide what to do with them.

"And if she doesn't admit to having seen Hugh, what then?" Phil asked cagily, not liking to think Sam could be colluding with the escaped prisoner behind all their backs and failing to see any reason why she would.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it but it wouldn't be the first time she's gone maverick to catch someone." Jack muttered, remembering how Sam had systematically shut everyone out in the quest to profile and track a serial murderer some years before.

"If she wanted to nick him herself though, why let him walk away?" Phil persisted, still confused and wondering how he was going to be able to talk to Sam without letting slip that he knew she'd seen Hugh.

"I don't know Phil, that's what we need to find out though and as soon as possible. Whoever sent these photos will have copies, you can bet on that and until we hear otherwise we have to assume that they're willing to go to the Press with them or to Scotland Yard. Either way, we need to find out as much as we can about the circumstances of the meeting. I'll get Mickey onto asking the neighbours if they saw anyone hanging around – we can trust him to be discrete. Get down to the hospital and see what Sam says but I mean it Phil, under no circumstances is she to know about these photographs." Jack insisted gesturing with the phone receiver as he picked it up to dial Mickey's extension.

* * *

"Jo good to see you again. How you doing?" Phil greeted his colleague warmly, genuinely pleased to see her back in Sun Hill.

"I'm ok thanks Phil. Any more news on catching up with Hugh yet? Sam's going out of her mind worrying about her family's safety. I don't suppose you're here to tell her he's back where he belongs?" Jo questioned as she balanced the coffees she had just purchased for herself and Sam on one hand, pushing through the swing doors.

"Not yet I'm afraid but we're all working flat out to get to the bottom of what's going on." Phil replied a little cagily, wondering if Sam had confided in Jo about her meeting with Hugh.

"Phil – what brings you here? I told the DCI I don't need babysitting." Sam snapped, resenting the intrusion at her grandson's bedside.

"Where's Abi?" He asked ignoring her question.

"Gary's taken her home for a rest." Jo supplied, moving to Sam's side and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder as she passed over the coffee.

"Mind if I have a word with Sam, in private?" Phil asked the brunette.

"Whatever you have to say to me you can say it in front of Jo. We have no secrets." That answered Phil's question in his mind – the fire in Sam's eyes proved there was a real truth to her statement.

"Have you had any further contact from Hugh Wallis? Any more notes sent to you?"

"Not since the one Gary brought in, no. But then yesterday was the first time I'd been home since – not much chance for him to get at me really." Sam lied glibly. "Have there been any developments? What have you found out about Ciaran O'Rourke?" Phil's eyes flicked between the two women, seeing a hint of tension in Sam's eyes but nothing in Jo's eyes to suggest she was party to the falsehood.

"Ciaran who?" Jo interjected, her head starting to hurt with the underlying tension in the room. She had watched the interaction between Sam and Phil, seeing them both scrutinize the other carefully, wondering what it was she was missing and hoping it was just her overactive imagination.

"James King – the man responsible for abducting Joey - called a Ciaran O'Rourke just after Phil had finished talking to him about Hugh Wallis searching his house. I was going to do some digging but then the call came through about the fire." Sam explained patiently, the drumming of her fingers along the side of the plastic coffee cup the only betrayal of her eagerness to hear Phil's report.

"Not much to tell about him really. A few previous cautions and convictions for drunk and disorderlies, one for ABH on a copper who tried to arrest him. So nothing unusual happened while you were at home yesterday? Nothing that could be connected to the case?"

"No, like I told you, there was nothing from Hugh or whoever's sending those notes in the post. Jo was with me practically the whole time. So anything to tie O'Rourke to Hugh?" Sam pushed, knowing she would need more than that to satisfy Hugh, wondering how she could go about finding more information without raising eyebrows. "Were they ever in the same area at the same time? Any chance of them knowing one another?"

"I've been trying to trace anyone that knows him. Seems he's a bit of a loner, always has been but more so since his daughter met with an unfortunate accident and landed up in a home permanently as a vegetable. I'll give you one guess who O'Rourke held responsible for the accident." The sergeant explained briefly, noting Sam's reference to more than one note despite her insistence she had not received any further correspondence.

"Hugh Wallis." Phil nodded.

"Doesn't sound like someone who would be in league with Wallis now then, unless something changed between them." Jo concluded with a frown, still troubled by the tension in Sam's shoulders.

"I'm keeping digging, seeing if we can come up with anything else – including his current whereabouts. I'll leave you ladies to it but call me if you hear from Hugh or if anything out of the ordinary happens, ok?" Phil looked intently at Sam, wondering what he was going to tell Jack now that Sam had failed to come clean about seeing Hugh.

"Something I should know about going on with you two?" Jo questioned her fiancée as soon as Phil had left the room.

"What do you mean?" Sam rounded on her with a scowl.

"Get off your high horse Sam, you could cut the tension with a knife." Jo's insecurities ran wild in her mind, conjuring up all sorts of scenarios developing between the blonde and her sergeant in Jo's absence. "He's always had a thing for you."

"And you trust me so little that you think I'd do anything to encourage that as soon as your back's turned, do you?" Sam hissed, her nerves on heightened alert after Phil's probing, wondering if they could have somehow found out about Hugh's visit to her.

"If it's not that, then why did it seem you couldn't wait to be rid of him? What are you hiding Sam? If you want me to trust you, I need you to be honest with me."


	27. Chapter 27

Sam checked that Phil really was gone before responding to Jo. "Hugh came to see me yesterday, while you were at the shop." Jo opened her mouth to interrupt but stopped as Sam held a hand up, "I know I should have told Phil but just hear me out, please?" When Jo closed her mouth and crossed her arms in front of her, Sam took a deep breath to continue, "he told me he's not behind the attacks on Joey. At first I was sceptical but he had a note identical to mine – all apart from the message on it. His said 'For The Sins of the Father'. He thinks this is Ciaran O'Rourke's way of exacting revenge on him for his daughter's condition. The girl was pregnant with Hugh's child when she had the accident – Hugh seems to think that O'Rourke considers it justice if Hugh loses his son as recompense for that. The note combined with him mentioning Ciaran O'Rourke – I can't take the chance on not taking him seriously. No one at the station will listen though, just like they didn't when I tried to tell them Hugh was behind Abi's abduction. I can't risk my grandson's life because they're too blinkered to see the bigger picture."

"Did you ever stop to consider that it might all be part of Hugh's plan to yank your chain? That he might be playing you like a puppet and framing O'Rourke while he gets at you through your family? Let's face it Sam, it wouldn't be the first time he's implicated someone else in an investigation to prevent anyone from looking too closely at him. You need to come clean to the DCI if no one else about meeting with Hugh." Jo drew a hand through her hair, wondering what she would do if Sam refused, whether she could risk her shot at true happiness in the name of the law.

"I need some time to look into this O'Rourke guy, find out where he is, what he's doing. If it comes to nothing, I'll speak to Jack." Sam rose from her chair beside Joey's cot.

"And if you do find anything out, find that he's involved, will you still speak to the DCI then? I might not be a stickler for the rules like Suzie, but they are there for a reason Sam. Bending them is one thing, working completely outside of them is a different matter altogether. If they find out you've met with Hugh and not arrested him, you do realise you could be looking at a conspiracy charge? You could be locked up for aiding and abetting a fugitive, where would that leave your family? Where would that leave _us_?" Jo tried desperately to make Sam see sense.

"We'll just have to make sure they don't find out then, won't we?" Sam fixed Jo with a determined glare.

"I wouldn't be too sure they don't already know. Phil didn't come down here just to pass the time of day and apart from asking about you having contact with Hugh, there wasn't much else he seemed interested in. My advice to you as a friend and as an officer would be to come clean."

"As a friend? What are you saying Jo? That if I don't tell Jack, there's no future for us as a couple?" Sam hissed, eyes flashing dangerously, striding over to stand directly in front of Jo, who shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't believe in mind games or emotional blackmail Sam. At the end of the day, no matter how deeply I care about you as my partner, you are also my best friend and damn good police officer. All I am saying is don't throw your job away because of some misplaced sense of guilt about not being able to protect Abi from Hugh last time around. Trust your colleagues to have learned the lessons following Abi's abduction, trust that they will be open to other possibilities. It's not that much of a stretch to consider Hugh having upset someone so much they'd want to do anything in their power to make him pay. You don't owe him the anonymity of investigating his claims behind their backs. If you go ahead and you end up being fired and prosecuted, to all intents and purposes he has won the ultimate battle then by destroying everything you've worked so hard to achieve. Don't let yourself be blinded Sam, please." Jo pleaded, holding Sam in place as she threatened to walk away. "If it makes you feel any more confident, I'll get the doctor's to sign me off as fit to work and investigate Hugh's claims myself. I'll even be right there with you when you talk to the DCI, by your side, backing you up every step of the way." Sam considered Jo's offer, knowing that she was trying to hammer some sense into her. With a small smile, Sam conceded defeat.

"Ok fine. As soon as Abi gets back we'll go to the station and talk to Jack, tell him everything I know."

* * *

"Sam, I'm surprised to see you here. Jo, good to see you looking so well." Jack greeted the two women, hoping that Sam had reconsidered her stance on the Hugh issue. 

"Thanks Guv, I'm feeling much more like myself again. So much so in fact that I'm hoping to be back at work next week." Jo admitted squeezing Sam's hand as she felt a tremble run through the petite woman.

"Don't rush it Jo, take as long as you need. Anyway, what can I do for you?" The tremble increased, Sam clinging onto Jo's hand desperately as she realised just how much trouble she could be in for withholding information regarding Hugh's whereabouts. Haltingly, she recounted what she had told Jo, sparing no details in her admission to her superior officer. As she finished her speech, Jack wordlessly withdrew an envelope from his desk drawer, shaking the photographs it contained onto his desk. Jo and Sam both looked over the pictures, an indignant rage taking over the diminutive blonde.

"You've had someone tailing me? What did you expect me to do Jack, hunt Hugh down and murder him?" Jo grabbed hold of her fiancée as she threatened to storm out of the office, arms encircling her waste preventing her escape.

"These arrived on my desk this morning. That was the first I knew of your whereabouts. I had no reason to have you followed Sam and I hoped when I saw these that you would tell me about your meeting with Hugh. These photos were not taken by any of my officers and I think it is safe to assume that had they been taken by any officer on any force, we would have had a visit by now from the DPS. So, we have to consider that someone else is keeping tabs either on you, or on Hugh – or both of you. There is the possibility that Hugh has orchestrated this in order to cause you problems but I don't feel we can ignore the possibility that this Ciaran O'Rourke is behind all this in some sort of quest for vengeance – and from the message on Hugh's note, that is looking worryingly feasible. The thing that troubles me most is that whoever took these pictures knows where you live Sam – that is information that could prove dangerous in the wrong hands. Is there anywhere else you can stay until this is resolved? If needs be we can take you into protective custody." Sam's head snapped up at the mention of being taken away from her job for the duration of the investigation, her body tensing against Jo's arms still wrapped around her holding her in place to prevent her from dashing from the room.

"Whether they know where I live or not, I have never previously been a target. If it is O'Rourke behind this, he isn't interested in me. It's Joey and Abi we need to protect, I can look after myself. Besides, if we want to draw Hugh out of the woodwork, I need to be where he can contact me. He said he'd be in touch." She insisted, refusing to consider her own life at risk.

"I can't force you to do anything you don't want to do, but if O'Rourke is behind all this, he has already proven that he cares very little about innocent bystanders, firstly with the bomb which could have caused untold number of casualties and then with the fire which did claim numerous lives." Jack pressed, wondering if Jo would be able to persuade the feisty blonde to reconsider. He looked to the brunette imploringly.

"As long as Sam stays where she is, we have a chance of catching this guy, Sir – but it might mean that for a while we have to sever contact with Abi and Joey." Jo turned to her lover as she voiced the proposal. "We'll stay at home but Abi and Joey have to be protected, which means going somewhere no one can find them, not even us. If we don't know where they are, neither of us can be used to get to them. The question you have to ask yourself is how much do you want to catch whoever is behind this, be it Wallis or O'Rourke. Do you want it enough to put yourself and Abi through not seeing one another? It could take weeks, months to ensure their safety, time when you wouldn't know where they were, if they were ok. You might miss Joey's first words, maybe even his first steps, or God forbid it took that long but possibly even his first birthday."

"It's better than the alternative. I can't keep waiting for the call from a hospital somewhere to say that one of my family has been killed because of a vendetta between two sick and twisted men. Missing a short period out of Joey's life is far from ideal but it is preferable to not having him at all, or having to bring him up because his mother was killed. I have to do this Jo, all this is because of me in the first place. If I hadn't knocked Hugh back, if I hadn't made him feel so strongly about my rejection, Abi wouldn't have been pregnant by him in the first place and Hugh wouldn't have a son for this O'Rourke character to fixate on. Now Hugh has made contact we me, let's not waste this opportunity. Jack, I want you to arrange for Abi and Joey to be moved to a safe house somewhere; I don't want to know where and I don't want any record lying around. The less I know about it the better. Take Abi's mobile phone off her, I don't want her being able to contact me or Jo – you'll have to make sure she understands she can't talk to _anyone_. I don't need to tell you she's headstrong, she'll resist even if she does know it's for her own good. I want someone with her though, someone she trusts." Sam spoke rapidly, the words firing out of her mouth like bullets from a machine gun, knowing if she stopped to consider her decision she would fall apart.

"I'll organise it immediately. Do you want to call her, speak to her before she's moved?" Sam shook her head; the reality of saying goodbye would undo her and crumble her resolve. "Ok, go home, get some rest. You both look exhausted."

"I meant what I said before Sir; I'll be back at work next week and I want to be onboard with this investigation." Jo spoke earnestly guiding Sam towards the door.

"That might not be such a good idea Jo, you're too closely involved." Jack protested.

"Not really Sir. If anybody questions it, I don't remember my relationship with Sam." Jo offered Jack a way out, all three of them knowing that she would be working the case whether she had his permission or not. "And I know it's not strictly professional but Gary Best has a good rapport with Abi, maybe we could see about him staying with her. I honestly think she'd settle better if he was with her. Plus I know I'd sleep easier, he'd lay his own life on the line before he let anything happen to her or the baby." The brunette suggested gently, leaving Jack to mull it over as she escorted Sam from the room.

* * *

"You get off on all this cloak and dagger stuff don't you?" Abi teased Gary as they drew up outside the plain looking house that was to be home for the foreseeable future. 

"What this? Nah, it's all going to be really dull and boring. It's just precaution, make sure no one has another go at the little man." Gary did his best to reassure Abi, seeing that there was a spark of anxiety behind her humour, chest puffed out with pride at having noticed such a small thing without having to have it spelt out for him.

"If that's right then why can't I keep my mobile phone?" The teenage mother grumbled scowling at their driver who had insisted she hand the offending article over before they left the hospital.

"As long as it's turned on it can be used to trace where you are. It's for your own safety. Think of it as a holiday." Gary smiled, the grin quickly fading in the face of Abi's sceptical expression.

"So what's this then? Butlins?"

"Let's just get inside shall we." Gary mumbled dejectedly, thinking that Jo owed him big time for getting him into babysitting the DI's daughter, who was every bit as stroppy as he remembered her being.

* * *

Jo handed Sam a glass of red wine before stepping into the steaming, sud-filled bathtub. Settling herself against the side, she gestured for the blonde woman to join her, Sam accepting the invitation readily. 

"I've missed this," she sighed contentedly as she nestled into the gap Jo had created for her, one leg draped either side of Sam's body and arms wrapped casually around her waist. "I'm not too heavy am I?" The feisty blonde was conscious of Jo's ribs still causing her discomfort from time to time.

"Not a chance, you're perfect." Jo whispered into her ear, kissing her way down the slender neck onto an exposed shoulder, grinning at the goose bumps raised in her wake. Sam allowed her head to drop back onto Jo's shoulder, opening up more of her flesh to the tender ministrations, feeling one hand creep higher to caress her breast. Both women became lost in the moment, relishing in the feel of skin against skin and rekindling the connection that had been threatened by Jo's accident. Twisting her head to the side, Sam captured Jo's lips with her own, feeling the tantalising press of Jo's hardened nipple jutting into her back.

"Don't stop on my account, ladies!" Neither had heard his stealthy approach, shrieking at the intrusion into their private moment.


	28. Chapter 28

Jo's hands flew to Sam's breasts, covering her up and protecting her modesty, her own shielded by Sam's body in front of her.

"Hugh, what the…" Sam spluttered as her heart hammered in her chest, cursing herself for allowing Jo to distract her long enough to forget about changing the locks.

"You're slipping up, Sam. I really did expect the locks to have been changed after yesterday's little tête-à-tête. Still at least you took something I said seriously I presume, seeing as Abi and Joey appear to have vanished. So have you managed to find anything out about O'Rourke?" Hugh lowered the lid and perched on the toilet, making himself at home oblivious to the women's distress at his presence.

"No, I need more time. Besides, if Joey and Abi are out of the way surely that eliminates the threat to them." Sam sunk further into the bubble-bath filled water as Hugh's gaze lingered a little too long on her breasts, still covered by Jo's hands.

"You must be the infamous Jo, the fiancée I keep hearing about." Hugh extended a hand towards Jo who looked back at him with undisguised venom.

"Get the hell out of here before I drag you into the station myself. At least have the decency to wait outside while we put some clothes on." Jo's main concern was with Sam's discomfort, noticing how he had leered at her naked body from the moment he walked through the door.

"Oh I'm not staying. Meet me tomorrow at three o'clock in the park on North Lane, there's an abandoned club house there from when it was the cricket club, I'll meet you inside as long as you don't bring reinforcements. We can talk about what you've found out then. Don't fool yourself into thinking Abi and Joey can't be found Sam – I followed them to the safe house without being detected and I'm fairly certain I wasn't alone. There was a biker who happened to pass me on three separate occasions on the trip, here's his licence plate number, you might want to check it out." Hugh rose, arm outstretched offering the slip of paper on which he had scrawled the number plate details, slipping it onto the cabinet as neither woman moved to accept it. "If you want proof that I know where they are – let's say I'm disappointed that you saw fit to leave your daughter and grandson's safety in the hands of Gary Best." Hugh threw over his shoulder as he sauntered from the bathroom. Neither woman moved for what seemed like an age following his departure, the only sound their rapid breathing and the occasional drip of water from the tap.

"I'm calling an emergency locksmith, we're getting the locks changed tonight." Jo commanded, releasing her hold on Sam's chest and using her arms to lever herself up out of the bath. Sam sat forward to allow her to go, hugging her knees to her chest and shaking with fear, knowing that her daughter was still in danger and that there was no way of warning her. Jo saw her distress and softened slightly, her anger at Sam's neglecting to mention Hugh had keys fading in light of her terror. "And then I'll call the DCI, get him to move Abi and Joey to another location. I'll tell him what Hugh's just told us, we can have them safely tucked away somewhere before first light and an operation in place to re-arrest Hugh in time for tomorrow's meeting."

* * *

"The number plate belongs to a Ford Fiesta so either Hugh was mistaken or the plates have been stolen or cloned. Either way, it doesn't help us any. But I have been doing a bit more digging into Ciaran O'Rourke." Jo settled herself at her desk, feeling as though her homecoming was complete after hastily arranging a doctor's appointment to sign her back on for work earlier that morning. "Ten years ago, O'Rourke was linked with a paramilitary organisation who had a habit of planting bombs on mainland Britain." 

"What are we talking, IRA?" Mickey asked with a quizzical expression, wondering how Phil could have overlooked something so important. Jo nodded gravely.

"His daughter was sixteen at the time, about to go to college to study Psychology. She attended a weekend lecture in the June she left school – a lecture given by Dr Hugh Wallis – at a conference on criminal psychology in Manchester. Her father had forbidden her to attend, possibly because it was the same day a suspected IRA bomb exploded in the city, decimating much of the shopping centre there. I've arranged to speak to an old colleague of Hugh's, someone who was at the function that day with him, hopefully he'll be able to shed some light on the relationship between the two of them." Jo continued, "I remember that day: June 15th 1996. I was a PC with the Greater Manchester Police; a local radio station received the warning around 10am, I was one of the officers charged with evacuating the shopping centre… and with helping to clear up the carnage that followed after the van exploded outside of Marks and Spencers. If he is involved in any way with what's been happening here, we need to be prepared, to understand that he will go to any lengths to achieve his goals."

"If Hugh met his daughter ten years ago, how come it's taken him this long to seek revenge, if that's what this is?" Zain asked reasonably.

"It wasn't until the spring of the following year that Niamh O'Rourke 'fell' from a motorway bridge, leaving her in a coma for months and severely brain damaged for life. It was discovered after the fact that she had been three months pregnant at the time – the baby didn't survive the fall. A witness who had been driving on the motorway came forward to say that he'd seen a man arguing with Niamh moments before she went over the side of the bridge but he couldn't identify anyone in particular. After the nature of their relationship was discovered Hugh was questioned but he had an alibi, said he was with a prostitute. O'Rourke paid the woman a visit. She died from the beating he gave her, he wound up in Strangeways in Manchester for eight years for her manslaughter, had another six months tagged onto his sentence for assaulting a fellow prisoner. He was released just under four months ago on November 28th 2005 and disappeared without trace. There's been no contact with his parole officer, no confirmed sightings of him, not even a visit to his daughter. Until now, there was a suspicion that he'd gone back to Ireland." Jo supplied matter-of-factly.

"And this is the man we think is keeping tabs on Sam and/or Hugh?" Mickey's question was rhetorical, pointing out the significance of the situation rather than questioning Jo's concern.

"How did you find all this out so easily? Phil came up against stone walls wherever he tried looking." Jack asked casually, knowing how frustrated his sergeant had been to draw blanks on a likely suspect.

"I still have friends in GMP, one of them owed me a favour," Jo explained, taking a sip from the plastic coffee cup which was a permanent feature of her desk. She watched Sam who had listened to the rundown silently, offering no insights into her thinking.

"We need to stop this as soon as possible before anyone else gets hurt in the crossfire. Now we know that Hugh is intent on hunting this guy down himself, that's why he's desperate for information. And it's pretty safe to assume that if he does find him, it won't be for a cosy chat and a quick apology. Hugh has already shot a man who tried to help him, we know he's capable of anything to protect his own interests. Is there any way we can safely use that to lead us to O'Rourke?" Jack posed the question to his team, watching their minds whirr into action.

"Maybe this geezer on the motorbike will show up this afternoon when Hugh meets with Sam, we could always try following him. Nicking him will likely get us nowhere but if we put a tail on him, maybe he'll lead us to O'Rourke, or at least give us more evidence that it is him behind the attacks." Mickey suggested leaning forward and resting his forearms on the desk in front of him.

"Zain, you think you could handle that? You're least likely to be sussed as a cop and if Hugh sees you it's not a problem since he's never met you before." Jack turned to the well-spoken DC, knowing it was right up his street.

"Course Guv." Zain agreed readily, eager to be an integral part of the investigation, having felt sidelined up until now.

"Sam, are you prepared to go ahead and meet Hugh as planned?" Sam nodded, her expression a little melancholic.

"Just promise me that they're safe Jack," she said quietly as the rest of the team got to work.

"I promise, there's no way they were followed this time." The DCI assured her sincerely.

* * *

"Fancy a cuppa?" Gary asked, trying to draw the unusually quiet young woman out of her silence. 

"How long is this likely to go on for Gary?" She drew her knees to her chest, worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth. "As much as she irritates the life out of me, I wish Mum were here."

"It won't be for long, Jo and Sam will get whoever's behind this and send him down for a long stretch. You'll soon be back home wondering how on earth you ever thought you missed her!" Gary flopped onto the sofa beside his charge, wishing there was more he could do in a practical sense, the emotional support never having been his strong point.

"What if they don't get him? Will I ever be able to see them again?" Abi felt tears prick her eyes at the thought of bringing up her son without the love and support of her mother and Jo.

"Of course you will; they're the best and they won't stop until he's where he belongs. Now, how about I fix us a bacon buttie?" Gary offered, his best little boy lost expression coaxing a smile from his companion.

"Do you ever stop thinking about putting something in your mouth?" Abi admonished him, playfully patting his stomach with a wink, suggesting his waistline was expanding.

"If it's empty, there's too much temptation to put me foot in it!" Gary quipped rising from the sofa and crossing to the kitchenette in the corner of the room. Abi creased up laughing, tears rolling down her cheeks as she buried her head in a cushion.

Finally recovering enough breath to speak, she told him, "you know what Gary, I don't care if you turn out to be crap as protection. At least having you around is good for my morale!" She stood and crossed the tiny room, pecking him on the cheek lightly, dissolving into fits of laughter once again as he knocked the frying pan to the floor in response, his crestfallen look only adding to her mirth.

* * *

"All set?" Jo asked as she looked across at Sam in the passenger's seat. 

"Mm-hmm," came the unsure response, a scowl firmly fixed on the blonde's elfin face.

"Come 'ere." Jo instructed, pulling Sam towards her and locking their eyes onto one another's. "We'll be fine, we'll go in there, tell him what he wants to hear and leave. The rest is down to Zain and Terry." Terry had been tasked with following Hugh after the meeting while Zain was to tail the mystery biker if they showed up. The park itself was teeming with undercover uniformed officers: Will and Emma strolling around the gardens arm in arm looking every bit the young couple in love, Lewis hanging around the toilet block with the appearance of a drug addict looking for his next fix, Honey sat on a park bench with a scarily lifelike doll in a baby's pram, a harassed mother out for a breath of air. All entrances to the park were being watched discretely and the officers were confident that no one could slip into or out of the park without them noticing. Jo listened to everyone's assurances that they were in position before placing a tender kiss on Sam's quivering lips. "Let's go sweetheart." They had decided that since Hugh had addressed them both, they would both arrive at the park and let him decide if he would speak to them as a couple or if he would deal only with Sam alone. The two women climbed from Sam's own car, knowing that Hugh would be on the look out for it and a pool car would alert him to the possibility of other officers present. They entered the park, Jo hearing in her discrete ear piece the commentary of their journey beginning. Sam preceded Jo up the rotting steps to the old clubhouse noticing the lock was hanging off the door. She turned to look at Jo, nodding slightly before pulling the door towards her and slipping through the gap, almost gagging on the stench that greeted her. Jo's hand covered her mouth and nose as she followed Sam through into the dingy, dark building, her free hand rifling in her pocket for a torch so that they would be able to see where they were more clearly, both women keen to avoid any surprises.

"No sign of anyone approaching yet Guv." Tony Stamp's gruff voice sounded loud in Jo's ear making her heart pound a little. Finally locating the torch, she flicked on the beam sweeping the narrow light across the room in front of them.

"Let's check out the shower area, make sure there's no one lurking back there." Sam suggested, already moving forwards into the gloom. They rounded the corner, both coming close to losing their breakfast in the face of the sight that greeted them. Speaking into the transmitter located in her jacket collar, Jo asked for backup.

"We've got a body in here Guv."


	29. Chapter 29

Jo sunk onto the top step, hearing the old wood groan beneath her weight. She allowed her head to drop forward, resting it in her hands, massaging her temples as her headache grew in intensity. Every time she closed her eyes, she was assaulted by visions of the body they had discovered. Nausea swept over her, the smell of death lingering in her nostrils. The blood from the corpse had been daubed over the walls, the same crude message from the notes adorning the tiles of the old shower block, 'Suffer the children for the sins of the father.' Sam seemed positive that the body belonged to Hugh Wallis, although it was impossible for Jo to back up that with any certainty. Whoever it was had been executed without doubt; hands bound behind his back, a single gunshot wound to his head, taking most of his identifying features with it, and from the position he had fallen in, it appeared as though he had been kneeling when he was shot. That was the considered opinion of the forensic pathologist called to the scene.

"Not the best first day back, eh Jo?" The brunette tilted her head sideways without lifting it to look at Terry as he squatted beside her. "They're almost done with Sam, I expect they'll want to question you next." She nodded, wondering if Sam would be ok, the blonde having been mute since finding the body.

"She talking yet?" Jo asked Terry.

"I don't know. From the expression on DI Morrell's face, I'd guess not." He offered.

"I don't understand why it couldn't wait 'til we got back to the station, why they insist on questioning us in there." Jo indicated the old clubhouse, knowing she would have to re-enter the scene of their nightmarish find herself once she was called and not relishing the prospect one bit.

"Oh you know what Morrell's like, she surrounds herself with this stuff every day, she forgets not everyone is as jaded as her." The door opened behind them, Jo springing to her feet as Sam appeared, squinting at the sudden intrusion of daylight. Wordlessly, Sam crossed to her lover who instinctively drew her into a warm embrace.

"No contact until we've interviewed you both ladies, you know the drill." DI Morrell barked from the doorway. "DS Masters, if you'll step this way." Jo defiantly brushed hair out of Sam's face, leaning down to kiss her cheek supportively before complying with the command. Sam clung onto Jo's hand, not letting go until she had no choice, her arm dropping heavily to her side as the door swung shut behind Jo.

"I understand that you came back to work today against medical advice, any particular reason you were so desperate to come back today?" DI Morrell paced up and down in front of Jo, having invited her to sit on one of the benches which lined the room.

"I thought my input might be useful to the investigation into the attacks on Joey Nixon… and I personally felt ready to return to work." Jo answered measuring her words, knowing that until proven otherwise she and Sam might be considered suspects.

"Can you account for your whereabouts at approximately seven o'clock this morning DS Masters?" Jo bit her bottom lip, knowing exactly where she had been but not wishing to share that information with the DI whilst so many others were in the vicinity to overhear.

"Yes but I'd rather not do so with an audience." Jo spoke quietly but determinedly.

"I assure you DS Masters, there is no one here remotely interested in what you have to say except me. Where were you at seven a.m.?" The DI pushed, standing directly in front of the squirming DS.

"In bed with DI Nixon." Jo admitted, a blush warming her cheeks.

"Asleep?"

"No, we were awake, both of us." Jo supplied through gritted teeth.

"Doing what? If you weren't sleeping, why were you still in bed?" Resentment flooded Jo's core, her eyes narrowed dangerously as her anger built.

"We'd had a late night, waiting for the locks to be changed on the house. That wasn't finished until around three so we were resting before going to work." She spoke slowly and deliberately, trying to stem the tide of rage gathering within her.

"How can you be sure you didn't drop off to sleep, given your late night you must have been tired?"

"Because we were due in work at eight, we were just taking a few moments before getting up." Jo ran a hand through her hair, glancing over to the corner which showed signs of someone having been staying in the hut recently; a sleeping bag, empty crisp packets and chocolate wrappers, a days old newspaper.

"Taking a few moments. And you're quite sure DI Nixon never left your side?" Morrell began pacing again.

"Perfectly. How many times do I have to tell you? She was in bed with me from around half past three until just after half seven when we showered, dressed and left for work – in the same car before you ask so I know she didn't take a detour on her way to the station." Jo iterated, the stench churning her stomach and the flash from the photographers camera adding to her headache.

* * *

_She walked from the bathroom to make her drink, weariness adding to her chill from the long night. A gentle icy breeze washing over her stopped her in her tracks – the backdoor swinging open on its hinges and a man wearing a gas company's uniform standing before her. She only saw him momentarily before he sprayed her with something and then she was choking, fighting for breath, feeling as though her throat and lungs were on fire. She dimly remembered the feeling from CS gas training, knowing that she mustn't rub her eyes or risk making the irritation worse._

_She was being dragged from the boot of a car. She tried kicking him, wriggled and writhed in the hope that he'd drop her and give her a chance to get free. Her arms stung from where he had slashed at her, blinded by the spray, acting on instinct alone as she had defended herself._

_The same man stood before her in a dusty room, eying her with unconcealed venom as he brandished the length of pipe. She could hear him screaming at her, she couldn't move, her arms tied above her head. He rushed at her, swinging the metal pipe, the air gushing from her lungs as it connected with her chest. She heard a moan escape from her lips, the sound spurring him on and exciting him all the more as he came round again for another attack. _

"_Not so powerful, irresistible, independent, Miss Almighty now are you? I'm going to show you what you're missing out on, show you how sex should be: between a man and a woman, give you something to think about if anyone shows you enough pity to touch you ever again." Her energy was fading fast as she felt him fumble with the buttons on her trousers.

* * *

_

"Jo, listen to me, come on Jo, look at me." The voice coaxed her back from her vision. She could feel sweat trickling down her back between her shoulder blades. Bile seeped into her mouth as her awareness returned to the disgusting conditions around her. "Jo sweetheart, please look at me!" Sam's voice was tinged with panic, not having witnessed an episode like this before. Jo's face was devoid of colour, her skin clammy to the touch and her pulse pounding beneath the surface. Slowly, eyes that had been vacant and unseeing focused on Sam's concerned face. "You're ok, sweetheart." Sam nodded, trying to calm herself as much as Jo, flashing an irritated look at DI Morrell who hovered behind her tutting and checking her watch.

"He tried to rape me…" Jo's voice was quiet and shaky amidst the din of crime scene techs going about their business, studiously ignoring the state of their colleague.

"Who did Jo?" Sam was confused, wondering where Jo had been transported back to by her resurgent memory.

"I was tied up, he beat me with a metal pipe and then tried to rape me." Jo's pulse was still too rapid for Sam's liking, her fingers pressed to the inside of Jo's wrist monitoring her.

"Let's get you outside, get some fresh air and some water." Sam wanted nothing more than to take her lover home but knew Morrell would never allow that to happen.

"I haven't finished with DS Masters yet." The DI announced haughtily.

"Until such a time as she is fit to continue being questioned, I'm afraid you'll have to wait." Jack interjected seeing that Sam was about to go head to head with her opposing DI and deciding to intervene for all their sakes.

"DI Nixon shouldn't be allowed to speak with her without one of my officers present." DI Morrell insisted.

"You're not seriously still considering them as suspects in this death are you? They're police officers, damn good ones at that…" Jack protested.

"But this isn't the first time DI Nixon has been implicated in a murder investigation, is it? And I seem to recall that her daughter's integrity was at stake then, why not kill for her life?" Sam rolled her eyes thinking the link to be tenuous at best.

"I know you're just trying to do your job Detective Inspector but I was cleared of any involvement then and you will find no evidence of my involvement now. As I have already told you, I was at home, in bed with my lover at the time this man was killed. I will freely allow access to my mobile phone records and those for my landline also, you can check my emails, my written correspondence, anything you damn well please if it will cure your insane notion that I was somehow responsible for his murder." Sam barked at the woman charged with investigating the shooting, knowing her concern was making her even more tetchy than she would otherwise have been given the insinuations being bandied around.

"I'd still like to question DS Masters further about the events leading up to this afternoon's discovery of the body. Perhaps she can explain her reluctance to admit the extent of your relationship with her?" DI Morrell fished, hoping to fire up the dazed brunette and get her talking again, knowing that any information she could gather would help in the investigation and meeting only brick walls.

"That's enough. Sam get Jo outside, I'll be along in a moment." Jack waited for his staff to leave, for the door to close behind them, before he addressed DI Morrell again. "No matter what you might think of their relationship, those two have been through too much recently to have someone deliberately try and drive a wedge between them. I promise you, if you insist on trying to play one off against the other, you had better be prepared for a harassment charge – I will file it personally if Sam or Jo won't." He warned her. "Stick to investigating the facts instead of looking for conspiracies where there are none. If that man does turn out to be Hugh Wallis, it may well be Jo Masters' information that can nail the man responsible. I suggest you bear that in mind before alienating her completely. Now if you don't mind, I need to check my sergeant is fit to continue working." Jack's radio crackled to life as he finished, Zain's voice echoing over the airwaves.

"DC Nadir to DCI Meadows – Guv I think I've got a sighting on our biker. I'm going after him, I'll keep you informed."


	30. Chapter 30

"You're doing fine sweetheart, deep breaths." Sam was tenderly stroking a hand down Jo's back as the brunette sat with her head between her knees, swallowing convulsively to try and stave off the nausea threatening to overwhelm her.

"She's wrong, I wasn't reluctant to tell her about our relationship – I just didn't see the need to spell it out to her that I was making love to you when that man was shot!" Jo grumbled sitting up slightly as she heard Jack approaching, knowing that she was probably about to be ordered off the job again.

"It's ok. She wanted explicit details from me too, I told her to rent 'Tipping The Velvet' if she wanted titillation, that she wasn't going to get her kicks from me!" Sam smiled, feeling her own heart rate slow a little as Jo returned it weakly.

"How are you doing Jo?" Jack stood in front of the sergeant, crouching so that he could take a proper look at her.

"Better Guv, thank you. That hasn't happened for a few days, I've no idea what triggered it." She answered honestly, knowing it was her only hope of not being ordered to take more leave.

"Are you sure you're not trying to walk before you can run? No one is expecting you to be back to full strength yet…" Jack worked his way around to suggesting Jo take some more time off

"…no one except me Guv. I'm fine physically as long as I don't push it and mentally for the most part I'm every bit as strong now as I was before the accident. No one can say how long these flashes will go on for and I'm not sitting around indefinitely until my mind decides what it will and won't recall. With all due respect Sir, sitting around the house is more likely to hamper my progress than being back at work. Maybe for the rest of the week I should concentrate more on paperwork and less on being on the frontline so to speak but I _do_ want to stay at work." Jack watched the fire return to Jo's gaze, knowing that no matter what she was going through personally, he could always rely on her to offer one hundred percent of herself to the job.

"Agree to restricted duties and with a proviso that you see a counsellor once a week, I'll back you to continue working." The DCI offered, sensing Jo's reluctance to the idea of talking through her experience with anyone other than Sam but knowing her need to work would win.

"Ok fine, if that's what it takes, that's what I'll do." She agreed reluctantly.

"Right, both of you head back to the station, Jo I want you to talk to that old professor who lectured with Hugh again, see if he can shed any more light on the nature of his relationship with the Niamh O'Rourke. It might be worthwhile talking to James King again too, see if he's any more talkative when you mention the body count stacking up – take Phil with you for that. Sam, go over everything we've got so far, check we're not missing anything obvious. We need to find O'Rourke… now."

"We're assuming the body's Hugh's then?" Sam asked tentatively, not sure whether to be relieved or more terrified at the thought of another death on her conscience.

"I'm not assuming anything until we have the post-mortem results but I think either way, we need to speak to Ciaran O'Rourke."

* * *

"Professor Daniels, it's Detective Sergeant Jo Masters again from Sun Hill CID. I was wondering if I could take up a few more minutes of your time?" Jo heard the kindly old man sigh at the other end of the line. 

"I don't see what further use I can be to you love but feel free to ask your questions. As I said before, my memory's not what it used to be." Jo smiled to herself, thinking the same could be said of her at present.

"I appreciate your agreeing to talking to me Professor…" Jo began

"Bill please, no one's called me Professor in years." He insisted.

"I was wondering if you could tell me anything more about Niamh O'Rourke? Did Hugh Wallis ever talk to you about her?" Jo sat at her desk poised with her pen hovering about her notepad, a cup of coffee just within reach.

"A few times, just after he started meeting her, he told me terrible tales of how her father beat her and abused her in the most ghastly fashion. It was just the two of them, Niamh and her dad. Her mother and baby sister were shot over in Ireland, or so the girl said." The old man tutted into the receiver, remembering the shiver that had gone through him at the thought of using his own daughter in the way Hugh had described.

"Did Hugh actually tell you that Niamh's father was sexually abusing her?" Jo pressed wondering how long the alleged abuse had been going on for before Niamh told anyone.

"Yes, just came out and said 'her dad rapes her practically every night' like he was discussing the weather or something. It put me off my lunch, off food for the rest of the day to be honest. I told him he had to help her get away from him. He assured me that's what he was doing."

"And when you met Niamh, what was your impression of her? Young girls can be prone to fabricating things if they think it will attract attention. Did she strike you as someone seeking attention?" Jo was troubled to think of a young girl losing her mother and sister and being left alone with an abusive father.

"Niamh was one of the most unassuming young ladies I've ever met. She was very quiet, didn't like to attract attention to herself at all, never wore makeup or fashionable clothes and really only spoke when she spoken to directly. She was one of those people you'd never really notice on the street. So no detective, I wouldn't say she was an attention seeker in my opinion, but that is all it is." The old man sighed again and Jo started wondering if he was having breathing difficulties.

"You seem to remember her well Bill."

"After your phone call earlier, I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. It was a terrible tragedy what happened on that bridge. Do you know, her father only ever visited her once? Once he saw the state that she was in, he couldn't bring himself to look at her again. I thought at the time it would have been kinder for her sake had she been killed in the fall." Jo couldn't help but mentally agree with him, knowing she would have preferred to be left to die rather than kept alive artificially without any quality of life. It was a conversation she and Sam had had some weeks before her own fall; she wondered if Sam would have respected that wish had she been left severely brain-damaged.

"Did you ever get the impression that Hugh was sleeping with Niamh?"

"Not once. It really surprised me when that came out after the accident. Niamh always looked up to him, treated him like the father she wished she'd had, looking to him for advice and permission to do things. Looking back, I suppose that in itself could be construed as an abusive relationship if he was sleeping with her. Hindsight is a marvellous but equally treacherous thing." Hearing another deep sigh from Bill's end of the line, Jo decided to give the old man a rest.

"Thank you for your time, I hope not to have to trouble you again." Jo concluded her conversation, finding it having raised more questions than it answered for her. She looked across to where Sam sat, engrossed in reviewing the paper trail the case had created. Wandering over, empty coffee cup in hand, she perched on Sam's desk, finding the only spare space on the crowded surface. "Fancy a coffee?"

"Mmm thanks, I'd love one." Sam looked up at the invitation, her own weary expression matching Jo's. She rose from her desk and accompanied Jo to the machine at the foot of the stairs, needing the break from sitting, her muscles stiffening up. As they returned to the almost deserted CID, Sam asked, "how did you get on with the Professor?"

"I don't know to be honest. According to Bill Daniels, Hugh was the father to Niamh that Ciaran wasn't. She lost her mum and younger sister, both of them shot dead in Ireland, sounds like she was her mother's replacement for her dad; she claimed he regularly abused her sexually. Could have rendered her susceptible to Hugh's charms, or it could mean that the baby she was carrying was in fact her own father's. The man she was arguing with on the bridge was never formally identified and Hugh's only means of alibi vanished when Ciaran battered the prostitute to death. What if Hugh was sleeping with Niamh but he wasn't the one who got her pregnant? If Ciaran found out she was pregnant, that it was his child and she threatened to tell people the truth about him, he could have had motivation to push her off that bridge. And with Hugh's relationship with her not exactly a secret, he was a convenient scapegoat, until he came up with an alibi." Jo theorised, her mind trying to work out all the possible implications.

"Maybe she wasn't arguing with whoever it was on the bridge, maybe they were trying to talk her out of jumping. Whoever's the baby was, she was in deep trouble if her father found out if it's true he was abusive. If it was Hugh's he wouldn't be impressed that she was sleeping with an older man, if it was her father's…" Sam trailed off thinking that he would probably have made her get rid of the child, stopping short of vocalising her thoughts in respect of Jo's own experience as a young girl.

"Whilst all that is tragic, I don't see how it helps us figure out the motivation behind what's going on now." Jo frowned at Sam, feeling like she was missing something obvious. "Have you seen Phil? Maybe James King can offer us an insight, being on personal terms with O'Rourke and everything."

"Last time I saw him, he was drooling over some lawyer down in the custody suite!" Sam scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"But he and Cindy…?" Jo left the question unfinished, Sam picking up her train of thought and supplying the answer.

"She moved out; no kid, no marriage. That was the deal." Jo mouthed 'ah' turning as the doors to CID opened, Phil rubbing his ears and moaning about the heat as he entered, looking at the two women quizzically as he realised they were watching him.

"I know I'm gorgeous ladies, but there's no need to gawp!" Both muttered an 'oh, please,' before Sam returned her attention to her paperwork.

"Ready to tackle James King again Phil?" Jo asked grabbing her jacket and downing the rest of her coffee.

* * *

"It's Zain,Guv. Biker guy called at a lockup on a housing estate. He's currently sitting outside a house on a Renfrew Lane, we're quite a way South of Sun Hill, he's talking on his mobile. You want me to stick with him?" 

"Where exactly are you Zain? Do you have any idea whereabouts it is on a map?" Jack's mind was in turmoil as the street name rang a bell, not believing in coincidences for one moment.

"We drove south, past the old warehouses where Mark Somerton was arrested, onto that new housing estate they finished building last year, taking the fourth left off the main through road. Renfrew Lane seems to arc away from the main road and then join it again a bit further down. He's sitting outside number 37. Why Guv?" Zain could hear the hitch in Jack's breathing.

"Stay with him Zain. I want you to go wherever he goes. Let me know if anything changes or if you have company." Jack hung up before Zain could push for more information, immediately redialling another number.


	31. Chapter 31

"Well, well, we meet again James. Looks like you had another fall. They treating you a bit rough in here?" Phil chatted jovially with the sullen prisoner who's face resembled that of a boxer after a tough fight. "We're not here to waste time, tell us what really happened the day you abducted Joseph Nixon. Who asked you to do it? How much were you paid? What was supposed to happen to the baby? Were you going to ransom him? Only problem with that is, his mother's got next to no money and Hugh ain't exactly rolling in it either."

"It wasn't about the money, it was never about money." James muttered, knowing that he was in serious trouble and that the police, as much as he disliked the fact, were his only hope of staying alive. "It wasn't meant to go down like this."

"So tell me how it was meant to go down?" Phil leaned forward on the wooden table separating him and James.

"The woman wasn't supposed to be in the café. She was supposed to be at the bus stop. The kid was supposed to die in the explosion. If the mother died too, well she was collateral damage as far as Ciaran was concerned. I'd sent Lisa into the café to watch the bus stop so she could give me the signal to detonate the device. I didn't want to stand and watch at the window in case I was seen. When the girl went to the café, Lisa rang me from the toilets, asking me what she should do, she was bordering on hysterical. I told her I'd detonate the bomb and for her to snatch the kid after the explosion; we couldn't leave the car parked there any longer, there was a traffic warden sniffing about, I couldn't risk it being towed away. I said we'd do the same for him as she did to Wayne, nice and easy, no mess, no fuss. She gave Wayne them drugs you know, not me. I might not have liked the screaming little brat but I had no reason to harm a hair on his head. Lisa's not the sweet corrupted innocent she makes out. She was playing Ciaran and Hugh off against one another, getting information from both of them and feeding it back to the other. Did you know she's Ciaran's daughter too? The tart he was banged up for beating to death – she wasn't a tom really, she was Ciaran's mistress, one he'd managed to get pregnant years before. He did his fruit when she gave Hugh an alibi, went round to sort her out, found her dead when he got there. He's always insisted he was innocent of killing her, said he never had a chance to lay a finger on her, someone else had got there before him."

"Why did Ciaran want the child dead?" Jo pushed, feelings Phil's heckles rise beside her and knowing that they needed to keep a tight rein on any emotions the confession invoked.

"The Nixon girl wasn't the first young woman Hugh had fooled around with. Ciaran said his daughter was pregnant with Hugh's kid when he pushed her off a motorway bridge, the fall killed the baby, left her permanently brain damaged. He said that it wasn't right that Hugh should get to play God, that it wasn't for him to decide which of his seeds should prosper and which should 'wither before seeing the sun'. When he found out about this other baby, I guess something in him snapped."

"How do you know Ciaran?" Jo asked supposing James' version of events may have some truth in them.

"We served some time together in Manchester before I came down to Longmarsh. It was Ciaran that arranged for me to be transferred down here after he heard about Hugh getting banged up. He has friends all over the place. Told me to befriend Hugh, keep tabs on him so I could feed information back to him. He's been planning his revenge for a long time. Originally he was going to just have Hugh executed but then he wanted to shoot him himself. When I heard about the kid coming to visit, I told Ciaran – I never thought for a minute he'd try and kill him instead." James picked at the varnished wooden tabletop.

"Why did you get beaten up?" Phil interjected bluntly.

"Because I messed up… and as a reminder to keep my mouth shut. He has ears everywhere, can find out if you so much as fart in the shower. I'm only telling you this now cos either way I'm a dead man. If Ciaran doesn't have me killed, Hugh will. After we snatched the kid from the café, I phoned Ciaran to tell him what had happened. He yelled for a while telling me how much of a prick I am for not even being able to do such a simple thing right. Then he calmed down, told me to sit tight and keep the baby alive, that he was on his way to make sure the job was done properly. Lisa got a bit kooky about it, started having regrets about Wayne. That's why she ran, she thought the officers who came knocking were from Ciaran, that they were going to kill the baby." James looked at Jo, locking his eyes with hers as he continued, "she'd never have jumped you know, she didn't have the guts."

Jo felt the room blurring around the edges, a wave of heat rising from her toes. She mentally shook herself, thinking, 'not now, of all times, please God not now!'

"_We've got him Jo, Joey's safe. I repeat, we've got him. He isn't with Lisa." Jo heard the words but was distracted by the blur of movement in front of her. Instinctively she raced forward, horrified as she saw Lisa heading towards the edge of the unstable framework._

"_Lisa, don't do it!" She grabbed the young woman, feeling metal begin to buckle under the strain. With every ounce of strength she could muster, Jo pushed the body away from her onto the safety of solid ground, just managing to get her clear before the metal disappeared from beneath her feet. She felt herself plunging towards the water below, surrounded by falling debris as the entire structure collapsed. Her last thought before she hit the icy torrent was of Sam, of how much she loved her. She felt her heart break as she landed, the impact as solid as hitting concrete, the air rushing from her lungs in one swift gush and refusing to return._

_She was cold, so cold. Where was she? Why was it so dark? Why was breathing so difficult? She tried lifting her head, squinting as daylight crept in, nausea and pain crashing over her and threatening to send her spiralling back into the vast blackness lurking close by. She felt her legs being buffeted about, a strong force trying to drag her sideways, a force she almost felt powerless to resist. Somewhere in the dim recesses of her addled mind a tiny voice was screaming at her to get up, to find help, that lying here was not an option._

"Jo… DS Masters!" Phil placed a hand tentatively on Jo's forearm, feeling the judder course through her as she was shocked out of her trance. Her face was ashen, beads of sweat standing out on her brow and top lip. As she slowly became re-oriented, the pallor of her skin turned to a sickening shade of green, her throat constricting madly as she tried to swallow down the waves of nausea. "Are you alright? Want some water?" Jo shook her head wildly.

"No, the last thing I want is water! I'll be fine, just give me a few minutes." She stood as Phil watched as she shakily made her way to the door, heading straight for the nearest toilets as fast as her prison officer escort could get her there. She knelt over the toilet for what seemed like an eternity, heaving until there was nothing left to lose. Shakily the brunette rose and crossed to the sinks to clean up. She splashed cold water on her face, running her wrists under the icy jets for long moments before she dared look in the mirror. The scar on her forehead stood out still angry looking in the harsh luminous light. In some respects, despite her appearance, she felt better, the latest episode bringing the last few months back into her mind with startling clarity. She checked her watch, seeing that there was still another three hours before her shift was over and wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed with Sam in her arms, making up for the lost weeks. Remembering their promise to name a day once Joey was safe and well, Jo hardened her resolve to find the people responsible for the threats to his life and bring them to justice so that they could all move on to a happier and brighter future.

* * *

"What did you find out Phil?" Sam pounced on the detectives as soon as they re-entered the office.

"Have a word with your girlfriend, tell her she's not invincible would ya? She drifted off again, in the middle of interviewing James King! She shouldn't be back at work yet." Phil raged slumping into the seat behind his desk before picking up a file and flicking through it roughly.

"My office?" Sam invited Jo through, closing the door quietly behind them, directing Jo to take a seat in the chair in front of her desk. "Want to tell me what happened?" She asked gently, seeing Jo's troubled expression and obvious distraction.

"Lisa Carmichael is Ciaran O'Rourke's daughter – I never made the connection before and I should have done. The woman that O'Rourke was charged with killing was a Sandra Carmichael. According to James, she wasn't even a prostitute, just Ciaran's bit on the side whom he got pregnant. Judging by Lisa's age, I would say it happened around about the same time his wife fell pregnant with Niamh! I don't know whether Hugh was sleeping with Sandra as well as Niamh or whether he had something else over her to make her give him an alibi for the night Niamh fell from that bridge. Either way, Ciaran wasn't impressed by her betrayal but insists that she was already dead when he got there that night. King was transferred from Strangeways to Longmarsh so that he could befriend Hugh and collaborate with Lisa to orchestrate his death. When Hugh sent out the visiting order to Abi and starting telling people about his son coming to see him, the plan changed. Sam, Joey wasn't meant to survive the attack – his death was supposed to be revenge for Hugh's part in Niamh's fall." Jo outlined the findings from their latest chat with King, hoping that by neglecting to mention her episode Sam would be too distracted to order her to go home.

"So all of this is because of Hugh Wallis and his inability to keep it in his trousers?" Sam barked, voice dropping to a husky growl in her rage. "If that body isn't his, he better hope he has protection next time I see him or I'll personally castrate him with a blunt pair of scissors!" Jo tried and failed to hide her humour. "And what did Phil mean by that comment before about you being back too soon? Are you struggling? I don't want you feeling like you have to soldier on if you're not ready Jo." Sam's tone softened as she leant against the desk mere inches away from her lover.

"James made some comment about Lisa not having the guts to jump from the bridge. It triggered another memory which in turn triggered a few more and all of a sudden I can remember pretty much everything, I have one hell of a headache and I feel like I could sleep for a week. I remember what it felt like, falling as the bridge collapsed, hitting the water and struggling to breath, the cold, wet darkness of being underwater and the feeling of utter helplessness. I remember thinking of you as I hit the water, crying as I went under because of how much I couldn't bear to be apart from you. I just needed a few minutes to catch my breath that's all. I'm fine. Besides, we got pretty much everything we could out of James anyway." Jo fidgeted with her hands as she spoke honestly, sensing Sam push away from where she leant against the desk

"I meant what I said when we first got together, I won't offer you any preferential treatment. If these episodes don't stop, if I think you're in any way suffering because you're back at work too soon, I will have you removed from duty again." Sam spoke softly, the concern for her lover evident in her tone.

"So does this 'no preferential treatment' thing mean I can't get a hug? I've had a hard day." Jo pouted in an exaggerated manner, eliciting a sweet grin from the enigmatic blonde woman standing before her. Sam sidled closer to where Jo was sitting, painfully aware of Phil sitting around the corner, just out of sight, but far more aware of the magnetic draw the buxom brunette woman emitted.

"Only as far as work Jo. At home you get all the preferential treatment you like. But seeing as you've had an exceptional day, I think I can stretch to a hug, just this once." Sam groaned quietly as she straddled Jo's legs, settling herself onto her lover's lap and wrapping her arms around her broad shoulders in a tender embrace, unable to resist her craving for intimacy. As Jo's hand worked its way inside her loose cotton blouse, tenderly caressing the smooth naked skin of her back, her professional brain kicked in. "We can't… no further… not here…"

"Why not? There's just you…and me… and a door that can easily be locked. Where's the fun in having your own office if you don't get the perks of the privacy?" Jo winked, punctuating her words with sweet kisses and allowing her wandering hands to slide up the outsides of Sam's thighs, disappearing beneath the hemline of her short skirt and causing it to ride upwards, exposing more of the creamy quivering flesh..

"But Phil…" As Jo's mouth latched onto Sam's neck, coherent thought left the blonde, surrendering her to the blissful sensations Jo's caresses were eliciting.

Raising her head slightly, Jo assured her, "Phil's a big boy now, I'm quite sure he can entertain himself and much as I'm sure he'd chew off his own arm to be a part of this, I don't feel like sharing!" The brunette returned to her task with renewed vigour, pressing the palm of one hand against Sam's breast, feeling the nipple harden instantly in response. "Still considering whether I'm ready to be back yet?" She asked huskily, capturing Sam's mouth with her lips and lavishing attention up on it.

"Maybe I should send him off on an errand…" Sam glanced at the door, her own hands beginning to wander over the ample chest of her companion as Jo's hand found its way to the aching centre between her legs.

"Or maybe you should just stop worrying about him and enjoy what we've started here." Jo pressed harder against Sam's thin underwear, feeling the smaller woman's hips rock forward instinctively to greet the pleasurable pressure. Sam leant in capturing Jo's mouth roughly in a desperate, desire-filled kiss, knowing time was limited but the risk of being caught only adding fuel to her raging hormones.

"More Jo… I need more… I need to feel you on me." Sam panted as the brunette's hand continued to tease her throbbing nub. Lazily drawing her fingers upwards, Jo insinuated her hand inside Sam's knickers, returning to the slick folds she had been caressing moments earlier but this time without barrier. Sensing Sam's imminent need and aware of the privacy issue that could become a problem at any moment, Jo wasted no more time teasing her lover, alternately milking the blood engorged bundle of nerves and feverishly thrusting into her until Sam came, smothering her ecstatic cries with a searing kiss, swallowing them down. The petite panting blonde was about to assist Jo whose own release was teetering on the brink of oblivion when movement outside the door caused them to spring apart and hurriedly rearrange their clothing both assessing one another's appearance before Sam moved to reluctantly show Jo out. Opening the door, a flushed Sam almost cannoned into Phil as he rounded the corner on his way to the office.

"Sorry to interrupt," Phil cast a glance over Sam's shoulder as Jo spun away a disgruntled expression marring her attractive face, "but I thought you'd both want to know we've had a positive ID on that body you found…"

"And? For God's sakes Phil, what do you want? A drum roll? Who is it?" Sam barked equally irritated at his intrusion but also by his need for drama.

"It was Ciaran O'Rourke. Jo'd arranged for his medical records to be couriered down, he'd seen the prison dentist and comparing those records with the examination on post mortem, they're identical. Seems like someone gave him a taste of his own medicine." The macho sergeant explained, reluctantly giving Jo the credit she deserved for her foresight.

"So does this mean Abi and Joey are safe to come home? We know he was behind the bomb attack which James King told you was meant to kill Joey, so now there's no threat to them." Sam pressed eagerly.

"Not necessarily – O'Rourke didn't plant the bomb himself. We know there's this guy on a motorbike involved somehow, Zain's keeping tabs on him right now, but it doesn't mean that O'Rourke hasn't arranged for someone else to make another attempt on Joey's life. I think it's probably fair to say our chief suspect in his execution is Hugh Wallis, so our priority right now has to be tracking him down and arresting him." Phil insisted.

"Surely that's a job for MIT? It's their investigation." Jo pointed out, speaking for the first time.

"Oh you still with us? Thought you'd drifted off again there." Phil hissed childishly. "Hugh is integral to our investigation, therefore we have every right to pursue an arrest and hand him over to MIT once we're done."

"There's no need for that attitude Phil. Jo can't help her condition any more than you can help being a moron and whereas I hold out hope for a complete recovery for Jo, I can't say I hold out _any_ hope in your case!" Sam retaliated bitterly, siding with her lover. "I'll speak to the DCI, see what he has to say."

* * *

"Guv, yeah it's Zain. We're still outside that house on Renfrew Lane. No sign of anyone in the house and there's been very little traffic through here in the last couple of hours. The biker seems to be getting fidgety, keeps checking his watch. Oh hang on… he's getting his mobile out, looks like he's expecting a call. Something's got him spooked, he's getting ready to leave… dammit he's heading back this way – want me to follow him?" Zain looked away as the biker roared past, awaiting the DCI's response.

"Yeah we don't want to lose him. The body from earlier has been confirmed as Ciaran O'Rourke but we can't rule out the possibility that whoever's on that bike is acting under his instructions to keep tabs on Joseph Nixon. The address you're sitting outside is the second safe house we had them at, I had them moved via the back door earlier." Zain was already executing a three point turn in the road as he listened to his superior's briefing. "I've got another officer watching the new safe house, he's going to let me know if there's any movement there. This one's unofficial – the last two have been found too easily and something stinks. Keep me informed of this biker's whereabouts." Jack signed off the conversation, turning his attention back to the three officers in front of him. "Sorry, where were we?"

"Jo should be at home Guv, that's twice in the last few hours she's faded out in the middle of an interview. I wouldn't want to be out with her, relying on her to cover my back only to find she's zoned out just when I need her most!" Phil insisted. Jo stood silently smarting from the insinuation that she would wilfully let her colleagues down.

"We've already agreed that DS Masters will not be put under unnecessary duress for the next week or so, that means doing all the mundane boring stuff like paperwork and interviews. I can assure you, DS Hunter, that no officer's safety will be jeopardised in any way – unless you know of a siege planned by the stationery that is?" Jack rolled his eyes, wishing that something, somehow would teach Phil some diplomacy. "Sam, do you have any concerns about Jo remaining at work?" Three pairs of eyes settled on the diminutive blonde. Studiously avoiding both sergeants' eyes, she addressed Jack directly.

"As long as DS Masters feels fit to continue working, I don't see that it will be a problem. She's already agreed to restricted duties and counselling, I really don't see what being at home would further achieve." Sam felt the gratitude flowing from Jo in waves, smugly thinking that she would owe her in spectacular style that evening for the turn around.

"She would say that, Christ they were practically shagging in her office ten minutes ago!" Phil blurted out, caring little if he overstepped the mark. Jo and Sam studiously avoided catching one another's eyes, both feeling a warm glow working its way over their cheeks.

"Ladies, I think that's all. Sam, try and trace Hugh Wallis, maybe take a trip to your house, see if he's been there at all – take anyone with you who is available. Jo, I want you to continue going through the paper work, see if that can shed any light on Hugh's likely whereabouts, pick up where Sam is leaving off, no point wasting time rehashing old ground." The two women left the office exchanging a look as they closed the door behind them.

"We have to be more careful, Jo – neither of us want to be transferred and Jack will readily do that if he thinks our relationship is compromising the team." Sam whispered.

"I know, you're right. I'm sorry but you're just too damned sexy for your own good!" Jo winked and pecked Sam on the cheek. "Thanks for not backing Phil up in there, for letting me continue working."

"Oh believe me, you'll be making it worth my while for the next week at least!" Sam grinned cheekily as she sauntered away, deliberately swaying her hips as she blew a kiss over her shoulder towards her fiancée.

* * *

"He's gone inside the lockup again Guv but he's taken the bike inside this time. I'm going to see if I can take a look at what's inside, might give us an idea what he's planning on doing next." Zain clambered from the car, his beige jacket flapping against his legs in the light spring breeze as he jogged across the road.

"Go careful Zain, we don't know anything about this person or what they're capable of." Jack warned the maverick as Zain flattened himself against the side of the adjacent lockup, sidling along its edge, treading carefully to avoid anything that might give his presence away. He slipped down the side gauging the height of the windows and wondering if he would be able to surreptitiously peek in without having to find something to stand on.

"Just a minute Guv, I'm going to see if I can get a look through one of the windows." Zain pulled himself up to his full height, mindless to the destruction of the toes of his brand new loafers as he balanced precariously on them, frowning when there was no sign of the bike rider inside the tiny garage but reasoning that his view was somewhat restricted. "No sign of him in there Guv, looks like this is where he's been living out of though. There's a sleeping bag and a pile of books in the back corner, along with a camping stove and some empty tins. The bike's down near the door…" The press of cold steel against his temple cut Zain's commentary off in its prime.

"Give me the phone." The cold voice commanded, the young DC in no position to refuse. "Time to say goodbye, Jack." A shot rang out clearly from the end of the line as Jack's heart threatened to stop beating. As the reverberation of the gunfire died, so did the connection to Zain's mobile.


	32. Chapter 32

"Is this what I can look forward to for the foreseeable future? Being shipped from pillar to post three times a day. I thought these safe houses were supposed to be just that, safe? So how come we've been found twice already today?" Abi's anxiety was building as Gary checked the locks on the new house they had been secreted away to.

"It won't always be like this. Your mum has the best people available working on solving who is behind the attacks on Joey and as soon as they find the culprit you can go back home." Gary watched the young mother pace restlessly in the tiny dingy room, furnished only with one threadbare sofa, a small portable DVD/television combination on a cheap unit and a kitchenette with white Formica table and four chairs in one corner. It was by far the worst accommodation they had visited that day but Gary was ever the optimist as he spied a few movies lining the rickety shelf on the TV unit. "Why don't you take a look at what films they've left for us? See if there's anything there to pass the time while I put the kettle on." Satisfied that the house was as safe as it could be, Gary moved into the kitchenette area filling the electric kettle with water and eying the socket suspiciously, wondering if he dared turn it on and risk electrocuting himself.

"This place stinks – it looks like something from the Sixties, and hasn't been decorated or maintained since then either! Haven't we got anything better than tea or coffee to drink? I don't fancy putting anything in that plug socket." Abi had joined Gary, inspecting the facilities with as much trepidation as Gary felt. "My God this is worse than a hovel, it should be condemned." Gary grinned, thinking it probably was which made it a perfect place for hiding out, no one would think to look in such a run down building for a person in police protective custody.

"Does the plug in the lounge look any better? Or is the TV out of bounds too?" Gary asked, looking over his shoulder and beyond the young blonde towards the dusty unit.

Abi wandered over, peering in the dim light to inspect the socket, grateful to see that one at least looked relatively safe. "Looks slightly more promising than that one, definitely less likely to blow all the fuses in this dump." Abi muttered bitterly. "So how about that drink? We got anything that doesn't involve trying to trip any circuits?" She persisted, thinking that at the very least she deserved a glass of wine for complaining so little during the day from hell. Gary shrugged apologetically and shook his head.

"Afraid not, the budget doesn't run to Chardonnay or Vodka. Cheap shop-brand tea bags and instant coffee is as good as it gets, sorry. I'll get someone to fetch us some supplies in the morning." Gary unplugged the TV reaching round to attach the electric kettle to the socket he had just freed up before perching on the sofa and waiting for the water to boil.

"So tell me about Manchester. What's it like living up there again?" Abi distracted herself from her surroundings by sitting next to Gary, settling herself in to listen to his exploits 'up North'.

"It took a bit of getting used to at first. Things were awkward with me Mum – I'm sure you can relate to that. A lot of water's passed under the bridge but I still get the impression sometimes that she blames me for Dad going and getting himself killed. I think she reckons if he hadn't been so desperate to come down here and make it up with me, he'd still be alive now. I love working the GMP though, they don't treat me like a tea boy, I'm just another one of the team." Gary sat back as he spoke, thinking of worse places he could be and worse company he could be keeping.

"I catch Mum looking at me sometimes, watching me with this weird expression on her face – as though she's trying to work out who I am and where I came from. In spite of everything and no matter how far we've come in rebuilding our relationship, there are times when I still see her as the career-driven, cold bitch I used to believe she was and I'm sure she still sees me as the stroppy, attention-seeking teenager I was."

"But things are better now aren't they? I mean, you get on well with her, she helps out with Joey and you know she adores the pair of you." Gary assured her, having seen the way Sam gazed fondly at her daughter and grandson at the engagement party.

"Oh yeah, things are much better – and improving all the time, partly thanks to Jo. She's an incredible woman, perfect for Mum. They're both as stubborn and unwilling to bend as each other, plus Jo understands what drives Mum and doesn't get all bent out of shape if she work's late or brings a case home. It's good to see her so happy – I only hope that it can last for them both. Who knows, maybe one day…" Abi trailed off, leaving her thoughts unvoiced but seeing her distant wistful expression, Gary surmised he knew where her mind was.

"You'll find that kind of happiness too, when the time's right. You have a lot to offer someone." He told her, squirming a bit, not good at dealing with emotional females.

"Yeah right, a baby and no money, I have bags to offer." Abi scoffed scathingly rising from the sofa as the kettle flicked off signalling the water had boiled. "What you on? Think it's about time I made the drinks, I don't want you accusing me of using you as a tea boy!" She joked trying to inject some levity back into their conversation.

"Tea's great thanks." Gary waited until she handed him his steaming mug before picking up on her previous comment. "Anyone worth a damn will see past the superficial stuff and see what a catch you are. You're pretty, funny, smart, a great mother and you have a gorgeous little boy who is a credit to you." Abi looked at Gary sceptically, trying to read his face for any sign that he was taking the piss but finding only sincerity in his expression.

"You know, you should drop the clown act more often. You're really a nice guy underneath all that bravado and bluff." She nudged him playfully with a rueful grin, sorry for giving him such a hard time in the past.

"Yeah, well… don't tell anyone. I've got a reputation to maintain." Gary blushed profusely. "So how about these movies?" He asked, clearing his throat to mask his discomfort.

"Can I ask a favour instead?" The young dark haired DC nodded. "Can I beg a hug off you?" Abi offered no explanation for her request, fearing that she would make a fool of herself and not wanting to appear pathetic in front of the man who was voluntarily protecting her. With a tight smile, Gary placed his mug on the floor beside the sofa, watching as Abi followed suit, before opening his arms and folding her slender frame into the gap created. They remained locked in the embrace for a few moments before a noise at the front of the house caused them to spring apart, hearts racing wildly.

"Abi, get Joey and go upstairs… NOW!" Gary hissed at his charge, the police officer in him charging to the fore, his only concern their safety.

* * *

"Where's Phil?" Jack barked as he strode purposefully into CID, finding only Jo and Sam in the quiet office.

"I've no idea, haven't seen him since we left your office, Guv." Jo answered truthfully, wondering why Jack looked so het up. Sam meandered to the doorway of her office, having been preparing to visit her house as soon as the errant DS Hunter made an appearance.

"Something wrong Jack?" She too was reading his expression, concerned by his demeanour.

"Possibly. I've just received a phone call from Zain, he followed our biker to a lockup, looks like someone's been living out of it for a while. Someone took the phone off Zain, addressed me by name and told me it was time to say goodbye. The line went dead, but just before it did, I heard a gunshot." Jack paced to a nearby desk, snatching up the telephone receiver and dialling a number by heart. "DCI Meadows again, what's the ETA on that Trojan unit?" He listened to the reply before hanging up. "Sam, I need you to come down there with me. I think I recognised the voice, I'm fairly certain it was Hugh Wallis. I've already seen him shoot one man in cold blood, I need to see for myself what's happened to Zain." Sam retreated momentarily into her office to grab her jacket, shrugging into it as she walked towards the door.

"What can I do, Guv?" Jo spoke halting their hasty exit.

"Call Mickey, warn him to be on the lookout for Hugh. He's watching the house where Abi and Joey are." As Jo went to pick up her phone, Jack's mobile started to ring. Snatching it out his pocket, Jack's face blanched as he saw Mickey's number flashing in the display. "Mickey, what is it?" He knew the DC wouldn't have got in touch unless there was a distinct need.

"Guv, can you arrange for some back up down here, pronto? There's a guy paying too much interest in the safe house for my liking."

"What's he look like Mickey? Can you see him clearly? Is it Hugh Wallis?" The urgency in Jack's voice increased in line with Sam's pulse rate. She felt herself being torn between doing her duty as a police officer and investigating Zain's disappearance and her responsibility as a mother to protect her daughter.

"I can't see for sure Guv. He looks about the right height. Hang on… he's approaching the path leading to the back of the house. What do you want me to do Guv?" Mickey was already walking towards the door as he spoke to Jack, knowing he could not just sit back and do nothing. Jo moved to Sam's side as they listened to Jack's side of the conversation, feeling a determination sweep over her to be a part of whatever was about to go down.

"Stay where you are and wait for back up Mickey – don't approach him under any circumstances. If it is Hugh, I've reason to suspect he is armed and willing to shoot anyone who stands in his way. I'll get a Trojan unit to you as soon as possible and send some officers down as backup." Jack ended the call snatching up the receiver on the desk and re-dialling the number he had called moments earlier, re-directing the unit he had previously ordered to the address of the safe house before turning to the two women clinging to one another for support. "Sam, I need you to find someone in uniform to go with you to the lockup while I get to the safe house…" Jo stepped forward, interrupting Jack mid-sentence.

"…Guv, let me go to the lockup. Sitting here not knowing what's going on is going to be far more stressful for me than being out in the field. Please, Jack don't do this to Sam. Take her to the safe house with you, it's where she needs to be; she'd be of no use at the lockup, her mind wouldn't be on the job." Jo appealed to Jack as a friend of Sam's rather than a superior officer, hoping she was not crossing the line that would see her leaving Sun Hill permanently. Jack watched the intense fire burning in Jo's eyes, a fire he had not seen since before her accident and knew that no matter what his reservations were, officers were at a premium that night thanks to many of the troops being assigned to security at a top flight football match.

"Fine, find Phil and take him with you –tell him he has me to answer to if he has any objections. Fill him in on the way. Sam, let's go – on the proviso that you do as you're told, no heroics or I'll demote you quicker than you can say Detective Sergeant. Understand?" Sam nodded mutely, her mind consumed with worry for her daughter and grandson.

"Hey, they'll be fine sweetheart. I'm with Jack, no heroics ok? I've just found you again, I don't want to lose you." Jo spoke with quiet intensity, pressing her lips to Sam before allowing her to leave, her heart threatening to beat its way out of her chest as she watched her lover hurriedly disappear from view.


	33. Chapter 33

_**Apologies for the delay in updating - real life went and got in the way but I managed to chain my muse to the keyboard long enough to get another chapter written. I'll update again when I get the chance, hopefully it won't be too long... Thanks to everyone who has given me feedback on this story so far, feel free to keep it coming and let me know what you think.**_

_**

* * *

**_"This is the place." Jo commented as they drew up outside the lockup Jack had stipulated, trying to coax Phil out of his sullen stupor in the passenger seat. 

"Ok, promise me before we go in there that you'll let me know if it's too much for you?" Phil's voice was softer than it had been when he had spoken to her earlier.

"I'm fine Phil, but if it makes you feel better I promise to let you hold my hand if I feel bad at any time, ok?" There was a slight trace of irritation in her voice as Jo replied, memories of his behaviour earlier still rankling her.

"Look, Jo, I'm sorry for what I said before and for behaving like a prick these last few weeks. I suppose you've heard that Cindy left me cos I couldn't give her the kid she wanted? I haven't been sleeping too well since she left, the house seems so empty without her. I guess… well I guess I'm just jealous at the bond you have with Sam. I could never hope to have that with anyone."

"If you go around with that attitude, then no, you will never have the sort of bond that Sam and I are lucky to share. It's not a God-given right Phil, it's something that you work at, by supporting one another through the bad times, rejoicing in the good and just plain sharing each and every day being thankful for the chance of being together." Jo snapped at her colleague before turning her attention back to the scene before her. "Where's Zain's car? The DCI said it would be around here." Hastily unfastening her seatbelt, Jo climbed out of the car, scanning up and down the quiet street for any sign of the DC's vehicle but finding none. Tentatively, she approached the garage in question, searching the area visually for any signs of a struggle. Phil followed her, grasping her elbow and spinning her around.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? For all we know, there's an armed man around here willing to take potshots at any copper who strays into his sights. Is hospital food so good you're that eager to get back there?" The brooding DS hissed, attempting to lead Jo into a shadowy gap between the garage Zain had been investigating and its neighbour.

"I think it's fairly safe to say that the gunman is long gone. If it is Hugh, he's not going to stick around after speaking to Jack on the phone and wait for us to arrive to arrest him is he? His priority is and always has been Joey. If it isn't him that Mickey spotted then he's on his way there, I'm willing to stake a month's wages on it." Phil was sorely tempted to take Jo's wager seriously but knew Sam would have his head on a plate if he was caught betting on her grandson's life and whilst he had issues regarding Jo's closeness to Sam, he didn't want to be the cause of any more pain for either of them. "Wait, Phil, what's that behind you?" Phil followed Jo's line of sight, eyes falling on a dark patch of liquid on the ground below a high, narrow window into the lockup.

Crouching next to the stain, Phil reached into his pocket for a pair of latex gloves snapping them on before dipping a finger into the drying pool. He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, testing the consistency of the liquid before cautiously sniffing at it, breathing in the unmistakeable metallic scent of blood. His expression confirmed what Jo feared as he spoke, "we need to find Zain." Jo let her gaze rise to the window that Zain had obviously been trying to look through when he was discovered wondering what they would find inside the lockup and hoping that her nerve held. Phil rose from his crouch stretching himself to his full height and peeking over the ledge, satisfying himself that there was no movement from inside the lockup. He indicated for Jo to follow him as they edged towards the back of the lockup towards the door he had spotted along the far wall, partially hidden from view by a large tarpaulin covered workbench.

* * *

"Where the hell is Mickey?" Jack sounded agitated as he tried to raise his young DC on his mobile and failed to get any answer. 

"Maybe he went around the back, we should take a look." Sam answered in a flat monotone that did little to assuage Jack's fears that bringing her along would prove to be a big mistake.

"No. We stay put until the Trojan unit get here, I'm not risking any more officers lives – and that includes your Sam. Don't make me pull rank on you, just sit tight. It might all be a false alarm but we're not taking any risks." Jack watched his DI's profile, saw the muscles bunching along her jaw-line as she fought to reign in her desire to rush to her daughter's side, knowing that she was just across the street and potentially in grave danger. "We'll make sure they're safe Sam." Jack reassured the tense blonde officer beside him, his attention snapping back to the world outside of the car as he spotted movement in front of the safe house.

Mickey dashed back across the road, pulling his mobile out of his pocket as he went, pressing buttons as Jack's number displayed on his list of missed calls. Jack opened his car door trying to catch the young man's attention, beckoning for him to come and join them. Mickey slid breathlessly into the backseat, doing a double take when he saw Sam sitting in the front of the car, wondering if he should really be reporting what he had seen in front of someone so emotionally involved.

"I know you said to stay put Guv but I thought any information we could get would help the Trojan Unit since we do have three citizens inside." Mickey pre-empted Jack's fury, offering what he thought to be a reasonable defence.

"I'll have words with you later about your wilful dismissal of my orders. Right now, I need to know what's going on? Who was the man you saw and where is he now?" Jack watched Mickey's eyes flicker towards Sam once again, sensing his apprehension. "Sam's here as a police officer, she needs to know as much as I do so that we can help resolve this situation."

"I'm fairly sure it's Hugh Wallis. I didn't get a clear look at him but the man I saw fit his description; similar height and build. There's no sign of a motorbike anywhere in the vicinity so if it is him, I don't know how he got here. I followed him after he went round the back of the house, he seemed to be checking the place out, peering through the windows trying to see in, testing the doors to see how secure they were. He's not inside the house yet, he's set up camp in the bushes at the end of the garden for the time being." Mickey relayed the information he had gathered in as dispassionate a manner as he could muster, his own adrenaline building as the strobing lights of the Trojan Unit appeared at the end of the road in the rapidly fading light. All three officers climbed out of the car, shutting the door as quietly as they could and approached the now stationary vehicle from which armed officers poured out awaiting instructions just out of sight of the safe house. Jack and Mickey involved themselves with providing information and answering the questions fired at them by the commanding officer, paying little attention to Sam's whereabouts until the officer in charge of the armed unit asked where she was, having seen the three officers approaching and only aware of two present after the short briefing. Jack and Mickey spun around, both pairs of eyes immediately focusing on the safe house, knowing there would be only one place Samantha Nixon was likely to go. Sure enough, in the twilight, they could just about make out her dark outline disappearing down the side alley towards the back of the house and towards the unidentified man lying in wait.

* * *

"It's ok, think it was a false alarm." Gary reassured Abi who cowered in her bedroom, clutching her son tightly in her arms. "Probably just a fox or something." He added in the hope he could convince himself as much as the young mother. He could have sworn he saw the handle of the door move ever so slightly in the back room that had been adapted for use as a makeshift bedroom for him during their stay, but when no further assault was forthcoming, he had convinced himself he had imagined it. "You look exhausted, why don't you try and get some sleep?" Gary coaxed Abi to relax, knowing he would be pacing the bottom floor of the hellhole they had landed in all night, the threat of nocturnal visitors sending his adrenaline levels rocketing. He watched animatedly as Abi laid her slumbering baby back in his carry cot before stretching out on the bed, lying on top of the covers fully clothed, her eyes silently imploring him to keep them safe. He turned to go, thinking that she would want some privacy if she hoped to get any sleep that night. 

"Please don't go…" Her voice was quiet in the eerie hush of the still house, her pleading tone stopping Gary in his tracks, "I don't want to be alone right now." The young DC turned on the spot, his feet feeling as though they were weighed down by lead weights with the effort it took not to take flight and run from the room. Abi was an attractive young woman, a woman to whom he had been growing closer all day but who was vulnerable and Gary was terrified that he would ruin everything if he stayed. He swallowed hard, eyes as wide as saucers as he watched Abi pat the bed beside her, inviting him to lie with her.

"Abi…" Any words of protestation died on his lips at her crushed expression as she perceived his rejection of her. Crossing to her side of the bed, he perched on it's edge, watching helplessly as she turned away from him. He sat for a short while with his back to hers, wondering how he could make her understand that he had grown too fond of her to be able to offer the kind of platonic comfort she was wanting, how to make her see that he wasn't rejecting her but sparing her from being taken advantage of at a time when she needed protecting from any more hurt. 'I can't lie next to her without thinking about how much I want to take her in my arms and shield her from this delusion she has that she's not special and gorgeous and desirable.' Gary felt the bed move behind him, a hand tentatively reaching for his shoulder. When she spoke, he realised he had muttered his thoughts aloud and immediately wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

"Gary, you idiot, you wouldn't be taking advantage of me… not when it's all I can think about too. I had an inkling of what you meant to me at the engagement party, why do you think I tease you so much? I thought it was the only way to get your attention! If I'd had any suspicions that you saw me as anything other than that annoying brat who wrecked obbo's you'd worked so hard on and the obnoxious daughter of your superior officer, I would have tried harder to make you see how I felt. But you never gave me anything to go on, I thought you saw me more as a sister, an irritating little sister at that!" Abi swivelled on the bed sitting beside Gary so close that their thighs were just barely touching. Leaning on one hand, she reached around his face with the other, drawing his gaze to her, tenderly caressing his cheek as she did so. "Stay with me? I'd feel safer with you beside me."

* * *

"Ready?" Jo nodded to Phil, taking a deep breath as he grasped the doorknob and gave it a swift yank, almost losing his footing as the door gave way easily to his probing. Jo entered the dark space, wishing that they had thought to bring flashlights with them as her nostrils were assaulted by the unmistakeable scent of blood. She groped along the walls hoping to find some sort of switch for the overhead bulbs she had spotted from the dim light seeping in through the open door. A groan nearby made her heart leap into her throat, hammering against its constraints, battling to flee her body and the tiny, dingy garage. Connecting with a switch on the wall behind her, Jo pressed it, her stomach rolling as the garage was thrown into harsh luminescent light. 

"Jesus… Zain, can you hear me?" Jo crossed the area to where their colleague lay bleeding profusely from a stomach wound, his face a worrying shade of grey, hands bound by his own cuffs behind his back and his eyes dull and glassy. As she examined him, she tried to ignore the other casualty present – one who had been killed ruthlessly and mercilessly, shot in the head numerous times. "Phil get an ambulance here – now!" Phil stood by the open door already speaking hurriedly into his mobile, arranging for a medical team to attend as a matter of utmost urgency, before redialling Jack's number.

"Phil, it's not a good time right now so make it quick." Jack barked into the phone, pacing up and down the pavement as he watched armed officers position themselves in readiness to begin their assault on the safe house.

"We've found Zain, he's alive but only just. There's another body here too Guv, executed in the same style as O'Rourke and judging by the amount of blood in here, I'd say this is where he was shot. No ID on him so we've no idea where he fits into the equation but even with half his head missing, I can tell you it ain't Hugh Wallis lying here. So what's going on there?"

"They're just getting set to go in hard. Whatever you do Phil, don't let Jo know, but Sam's in there as far as we know. She disappeared while we were briefing the Trojan Unit, she's gone round the back of the house. One of the officers took a quick look but there's no sign of her… but the back door has been forced open. I've got to go." Jack hung up before Phil could say anything more, turning his attention to the developing scene before him.

* * *

Sam crept into the house, following Hugh's path after giving him a few moments' lead. She trod carefully, avoiding the shards of wood that had showered the carpet from where Hugh splintered the doorframe in his brutal entrance. She froze as she saw Hugh approaching the stairs, knowing she was in plain sight and had no time to find cover before he turned around without alerting him to her presence. For the first time, she questioned the wisdom of taking matters into her own hands, thinking of how much she stood to lose. Willing her voice not to tremble, she spoke loudly into the quiet house. "Stop right there Hugh, I'm not letting you anywhere near Abi or Joey." The man she had once revered spun on his heel, gun drawn and pointed steadily at Sam's head instantly. 


	34. Chapter 34

**_Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter up - grr real life! At long last, this is the penultimate chapter of STC, just an epilogue to follow and then we're done... for the time being at least! Who knows what will happen in the future! Anyway, as always, hope you enjoy and feel free to let me know what you think._**

* * *

"Well, well. We meet again Samantha." Hugh cackled harshly, the sound carrying in the quiet of the house. "It doesn't look to me like you're in much of a position to make demands."

"This isn't about Abigail, or Joseph, not really. This is about you and me, the fact that you can't get over my rejection of you." Sam's rational mind screamed at her not to provoke her ex-mentor, seeing how unstable he was and well aware he was capable of shooting her, but her maternal instincts overpowered all other senses, her only concern keeping Hugh from climbing the stairs to where her daughter and grandson were.

"I see you're as egotistical as ever. Do you really think that the entire universe revolves around you? Only I've got news for you – it doesn't! This is about my child – the son that no one has a right to take away from me. I'm sure Abi will be more than willing to listen to reason with a little persuasion." Hugh left the foot of the stairs, beginning to slowly stalk towards where Sam stood rooted to the spot, her legs leaden and unwilling to carry her out of his path.

Gary heard voices downstairs as he held Abi tenderly in his arms, immediately stiffening as he strained to make out who they belonged to, thinking he had recognised Sam's husky tones. Abi heard the murmuring seconds after Gary, trembling in his embrace and reaching out to him desperately, silently screaming for him not to leave her.

"I've got to go and see who it is. Promise me that as soon as I'm out of the door you'll barricade yourself in? Use that chest of drawers, drag it in front of the door and wedge it against it. Promise me Abi?" Gary whispered to her urgently, pulling away from her but keeping hold of her upper arms, imploring her to do as he asked.

"But you'll be stuck out there. What if it's Hugh? What if he's armed? You'll have no way of protecting yourself. Gary it's suicide to go out there." Abi pleaded, tears beginning to roll over her cheeks as she thought of the goofy young officer putting his life on the line to save her and her son.

"If your Mum's here then chances are so are a lot of armed officers. All I need to do is distract him long enough for them to get in here."

"Mum's here?" Abi shot up on the bed, sitting hugging her knees, torn between keeping Gary safe and the knowledge that her mother may well be downstairs facing off an armed man alone. Her whole body trembled, the sudden realisation of what it meant to be a mother hitting her full force, leading her finally understand why Sam's instincts to protect her were so strong, and why they sometimes led her to make the wrong decisions. "Do what you have to do Gary, I'll make sure no one harms a hair on my son's head." She spoke calmly, her resolve strengthened as she caught sight of a faint flashing light beyond the curtains.

* * *

"So how are things going at the safe house? Is the man Mickey saw Hugh Wallis?" Jo questioned as Zain was secured in the back of the ambulance, halting Phil as he went to climb in beside his colleague. 

"The Trojan Unit are in position and ready to storm to house. Jo, Jack asked me not to tell you but you need to know; Sam's inside the house. She went maverick when their backs were turned, went after Hugh alone." The paramedic ushered Phil into the ambulance, keen to get on the way to hospital with their critically injured patient.

"Phil, thank you for telling me. You be okay at the hospital if I secure the scene here and then go over to the safe house?" Jo's stomach was churning at the thought of Sam facing down Hugh alone, knowing that he was armed and dangerous.

"Of course, but no heroics. They'll get her out safely – all of them will be fine, trust them to do their job Jo." With a curt nod, Jo turned on her heel and began barking orders to the uniformed officers who had been assigned to the area, informing them that no one was to touch anything until the scene of crimes officers had given the go ahead. Assured that everything was in order, Jo jogged back across the road towards the pool car she and Phil had arrived in, sliding into the driver's seat and firing the engine, pulling away as she dialled Jack's mobile number.

* * *

"Jack Meadows." He answered, the tension evident in his voice. 

"Guv it's Jo. What's happening there? And where exactly is there? I'm on my way over." Jo sped through the warren of streets leading back to the main road.

"Jo, stay put, there's nothing you can do here." Jack attempted to dissuade the sergeant from joining them, knowing in his heart it was futile.

"No? So you won't be needing a negotiator then? Let me try talking to Hugh, see if I can reason with him to give himself up. I'm sure he knows there's no way he can get out of that house without us getting him one way or another. If armed officers storm in there, what's to stop him shooting indiscriminately? Why risk more lives than strictly necessary?" Jo was careful to avoid mentioning she knew her lover was inside, ready to see if Jack would volunteer the information.

"You're too emotionally involved to negotiate with him rationally."

"I don't let my personal feelings affect my work Guv, I never have. All I want to do is make sure that a young mother and her son are released safely from that house." Jo reasoned.

"It's more complicated than that Jo." Jack paused hoping that telling Jo wouldn't cause her to have an accident. "Sam's inside, she went after Hugh alone."

"All the more reason to try and resolve this peacefully Guv." Jo's voice barely wavered as she answered, her stomach churning and a coldness seeping into her soul at the thought of losing Sam so soon after being reunited with her. She heard Jack sigh into his mobile on the other end of the line before hearing an address muttered grudgingly.

"If you can get here in the next ten minutes, I'll see if I can persuade Inspector Rollins to stand his men down. No promises though Jo and if it looks as though we're getting nowhere, the Trojan Unit will take over, no questions asked."

"Deal Guv, all I'm asking for is a shot at it." Jo flipped her mobile shut as she ended the call, flooring the accelerator as she raced up to a roundabout, swinging the car right round it and back in the direction she had come from, knowing a shortcut to reach her destination. Her heart was pounding as she sped along the thankfully quiet roads, mentally ticking down the minutes it was taking her, pushing the car to its limits in her haste.

* * *

Gary crept to the top of the stairs, crouching down and peering down as far as his neck would go, trying to catch a glimpse of the intruders. A loud voice startled him, he pulled back into the shadows as a man came into sight dragging a dazed blonde woman with him by her hair. 

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just shoot you? Believe me, it would make my life so much easier. Every time I try to achieve something, you're always one step ahead blocking my way. Well not this time Sam, this time I've got the lead on you and all you can do is sit back and watch as I take what I want. Now strip – I don't trust you not to be wearing a wire." Hugh raised his arm to strike Sam again as he threw her onto the sofa, inviting her not to comply to his order at her peril. Gary watched as Sam spat blood from her mouth following Hugh's second strike, her face already beginning to swell, her fingers fumbling with the buttons on her blouse.

"Is that what this is really about Hugh? You can't stand to be beaten by anyone, but especially not by a woman, is that it? What did O'Rourke do to deserve being executed? You were the one who got his daughter pregnant and used his own mistress as an alibi to get you off a murder charge when Niamh was pushed from that bridge." Sam baited him, knowing if she could hold him off long enough, the officers outside would resolve the situation. All she had to do was keep Hugh downstairs and away from Abi and Joey. Gary crept onto the top stair in a crouch pausing to see if his movement would attract the attention of Hugh, feeling his boldness growing as he remained undetected.

"See that just proves how little you know. Niamh was pregnant with her own father's baby. He's the one who was with her on the bridge that night, I was with Sandra Carmichael, talking to her about what sort of man she was getting herself involved with. Then Sandra told me she was going to lie, that she was going to tell the police that it had been Ciaran who was with her when Niamh was killed and not me. I couldn't have that, I couldn't have her perjuring herself for a man who cared so little for his own daughter that he used her and abused her so badly. Sandra told me that Lisa was Ciaran's daughter too, that she had her daughter to protect. We got into a fight, I never meant to kill her but when the police decided O'Rourke had done it in a jealous rage, who was I to argue with that? As far as I was concerned, he deserved to be locked up, whether he killed his daughter by throwing her from the bridge or whether she jumped because she was pregnant with his child and couldn't take it any more." Hugh's eyes glazed over as he remembered the events that had led to the feud but as soon as Sam attempted to move, his attention snapped back to the present. "But you've still given me no reason not to shoot you Sam, don't you care what happens to you? And there was me thinking that now you're all loved up with your lesbian fiancée, you might have had a bit more to live for."

"And that pains you even more than being beaten by a woman doesn't it Hugh? The fact that I turned you down and have found happiness, not just with someone else but with another woman. What's up, make you feel threatened?" Sam breathed in sharply as Hugh cocked the hammer on the gun he was holding, willing herself not to close her eyes as she stared at the barrel, pointed directly between her eyes. Gary gradually made his way down the stairs, his path becoming more treacherous the closer to the bottom he got, bringing him closer to Hugh's peripheral vision.

"I watched you with her in the park after you found my gift to you. I should have shot you then when I had the chance, or maybe when I chatted to you in the bath together – that would have raised a few eyebrows amongst your colleagues no doubt; the frigid Samantha Nixon found naked and dead in her bath with her lesbian lover. You know, I was so disappointed you didn't get to O'Rourke before I did. I kept him there all night, begging for his life. I expected you to send someone over to investigate the meeting place at the very least but you were too distracted by that dyke to care about any one else – same as ever, only after personal gratification without a thought to whose lives you ruin in the process." Hugh rested his finger lightly on the trigger, enjoying toying with Sam and having her completely at his mercy.

"Who set fire to the house? Was that you? Or was that O'Rourke? We know he was responsible for the bomb." Sam attempted to buy herself some time, feeling her heart rate rising to dangerous levels and thoughts of Jo threatening to crowd out all other considerations in her mind, the reality of her situation settling in her stomach like a leaden weight. "How is it that you've always known where Abi and Joey were?"

"You were supposed to link the fire to O'Rourke and put him back behind bars, where he belonged. I gave you every reason and every opportunity to do that but you failed him. You left him to die, once again too wrapped up in yourself to work the case objectively. And please, credit me with some intelligence Samantha – do you know how easy it is to hire someone to tail a person for the right amount of money? All the time, Jack thought someone in the department was leaking the locations of the safe houses, as if I would trust anything told to me by a police officer!" Hugh laughed at his own joke before sobering quickly and steadying himself, still disappointed by Sam's refusal to offer him any reason to let her live. "You're always after answers aren't you Sam? How much are you willing to pay for the truth? Is it worth your life?"

"What do you hope to achieve by this Hugh? We know O'Rourke is dead, anything you do to Joey now will be obviously your responsibility. What will it achieve? There's no way you can just walk out of here?" Sam continued to avoid his question, knowing the moment she answered him, all hope of walking away would be gone and not fancying her chances of surviving with the gun so close and his hand so steady.

"If I can't see my son, if I can't be a part of his life then he won't grow up. I'll be the one to decide my son's fate. Abi can't deny me access." Hugh spat chillingly. "Anybody who stands in my way is collateral damage." His eyes were devoid of any emotion as he calmly discussed killing his own son.

"If you do that, if you kill your own son because Abi won't allow you to see him, that makes you worse than Ciaran O'Rourke. You're not God, you don't get to decide who lives and who dies. I'm glad that Abi is sensible enough not to want you anywhere near her son. You might have contributed to him genetically, but I can promise you that is the only input you are going to have in deciding how his life turns out." Sam's words were muffled as Gary at Hugh's back, knocking him forwards, the pair rolling off the couch and onto the floor, Sam tumbling with them as Hugh tried to use her as a shield, the gun knocked from his hand by the fall. Sam struggled in Hugh's grip, his hands grasping at any body part he could hold onto, sliding over her naked skin from where he had ordered her to disrobe. Gary reached for the gun allowing Hugh to scramble backwards towards the window, dragging Sam with him by her neck, her arms clawing uselessly at his vicelike grip. As Gary spun around, holding the gun in front of him, his eyes widened in horror at the sight of Hugh holding a knife to the DI's neck, a trickle of blood already seeping from beneath the blade. Sam writhed with renewed vigour as she felt the cold steel pressing against her throat, Hugh's hand tightening around her windpipe as she kicked, restricting her intake of air and making her head begin to spin as her panic grew.

* * *

"I've got a clear shot Sir. The suspect is standing with his back to the window." One of the armed officers hissed into his radio as he watched the scene developing in the dimly lit lounge of the supposed safe house, thankful for the night vision scope on his rifle, knowing without it, he would be shooting ghosts in the dark. 

"Tell me exactly what you can see." Inspector Rollins instructed, holding off momentarily on issuing the order to fire, needing confirmation that all the innocent parties were safe, not wanting a tragedy on his command.

"The upper torso of one IC1 male fitting the suspects description. One IC1 male fitting the description of the officer assigned to protect the mother and child, he's got a gun trained on the suspect." The officer kept his eyes trained on the room in front of him, seeing the suspect move slightly to the side as though grappling with something, or someone. "One IC1 female fitting the description of DI Nixon being held in front of the suspect as a human shield." He admitted, heart hammering in his chest as he realised just how close he had come to shooting the woman, knowing any bullet he fired would tear through the suspects body and enter the woman held against him.

"Hold your fire." Inspector Rollins reluctantly ordered his men, not willing to take the risk of injuring the errant DI no matter how much he wanted to wring her neck for entering the house in the first place.

* * *

"Put the knife down Hugh. There are armed officers swarming all over the outside of this building. Right now, there are probably at least a dozen guns trained on your back and the minute they get a clear shot they will fire." Gary informed the crazed man holding Sam hostage, willing his own hands to remain steady as adrenaline coursed through his veins. His eyes flickered to Sam's which were threatening to roll back into her head as her oxygen supply continued to be compromised. "Killing Sam won't achieve anything. Release her now and you can still walk out of here with your life." The young DC instructed. Hugh edged towards the hallway, making sure he kept Sam between himself and the gun Gary held out in front of him.

* * *

Jo arrived at the scene, slewing her car to a halt at the cordon uniformed officers had set up, flashing her badge at them before racing towards the DCI. As she approached, she watched armed officers positioning themselves in readiness to enter the building. 

"Guv, the ten minutes isn't up yet – give me a crack at talking to him." She panted, resting one hand on the top of Jack's car as she fought to regain her breath from the frantic sprint.

"Situation's changed Jo, he has Sam as a human shield. No amount of rational argument with him is going to get him to give himself up peacefully. They're getting ready to go in." Jo looked as though she was about to argue, before her jaw clenched as she bit back the words.

After a moment, she composed herself enough to respond, "just make sure she's safe, Guv." She paced along the pavement, hating the feeling of helplessness that was settling over her.

* * *

Sam realised that Hugh was heading towards the stairs, her sense of self-preservation overruled by concern for the wellbeing of her daughter and grandson. Summoning every ounce of energy she could muster, fighting off the darkness that was threatening to overwhelm her and ignoring the screaming of her lungs for more air, Sam raised her foot from the ground and stamped as hard as she could on the top of Hugh's foot, listening with grim satisfaction to the sound of bones crunching beneath her boot heel. He yowled in pain, loosening his grip around her throat enough for her to gulp in much needed oxygen. She felt him double over a little as the waves of pain crashed over him, his balance lost with his inability to weight-bear on the foot she had crushed. Sensing the opportunity, she slammed her elbow into his midriff feeling the air gush from his lungs past her ear, the knife wavering in his grasp allowing her to wriggle away from his hold on her giving Gary a tiny window of opportunity to shoot, an opportunity he seized immediately. Sam sucked in a breath as she felt the bullet whistle past her arm before hearing it collide with Hugh's body.

* * *

Inspector Rollins issued the order to enter the building as soon as the sound of gunfire rang out. Jack and Mickey both grappled with Jo, restraining her as she made to race towards the house. 

"Stay here Jo. Gary had the gun, not Hugh." Jack kept repeating those few words until he was certain that Jo had heard him, that she was at least slightly reassured Sam was unlikely to have been on the end of the shot fired. Both men could feel her heart beating wildly, the pulses pounding in her veins as though straining at their flimsy walls in the hopes of making a bid for freedom. Her eyes never once left the house, scanning the windows and doorways for any sign of life, any glimpse of the woman who held her heart and soul in the palm of her hand. The radio in Jack's hand crackled to life.

"House is secured. Suspect is apprehended and in need of medical attention. Can we have a paramedic in here?" Jo let out a breath she was unaware she had been holding as she the officer made no mention of an officer being injured. As Jack's grip on her eased, she raced towards the house intent only on seeing her family, as desperate to make sure Gary, Abi and Joey were ok as she was Sam. She spied Sam being escorted from the house by an armed officer his jacket protecting her modesty in her state of undress, her protests falling on deaf ears.

"I need to see my daughter and grandson – they're still in there. For God's sake, let me see Abi. She'll be terrified, I need to tell her I'm ok, that it's all over."

"Sam!" Jo enveloped Sam in a crushing embrace, kissing every inch of her hair in her desperation to show her affection. Holding her at arm's length, she gently rebuked, "What in hell's name were you thinking? You could have been killed! I was terrified I'd lost you." Tears welled in her eyes as she realised how Sam must have felt after hearing of her own heroics. Jo became aware of the bruising to Sam's face , the gash on her neck from the knife and her lack of clothing on her top half, letting go of the dazed woman and slipping out of the grey cardigan she was wearing before leading Sam into the seclusion of the side passage before removing the jacket loaned to the petite blonde and replacing it with the cardigan she had just shed.

"I had to protect my baby girl." Jo's trembling fingers carefully fastened the garment closed, a reassuring smile offered as Sam searched Jo's face for any signs of recrimination. Jo pressed a handkerchief to the oozing wound on Sam's throat leading her to a waiting ambulance to be attended to, placing a tender kiss on her forehead as Sam was invited to sit in the back. Jo couldn't be mad or disappointed by Sam's inability to promise no further such actions, knowing that her own would be an empty promise – their passion for protecting others a huge part of what attracted them to one another.

"Promise me you won't ever change Sam? I love you just as you are and I don't want to make you try to be someone you're not… even if that means going through hell when you decide to go it alone!"

"I promise…" Sam breathed, wincing as her wound was dressed and the bruises on her face examined for signs of any bones broken, "… as long as you promise me the same thing?"

"Consider it a done deal, sweetheart. Now you just wait here while I go and see what's keeping Abi and that gorgeous grandson of yours."

"Ours," Sam corrected her fiancée, "he's just as much your grandson as he is mine, especially if we're to be married soon – the sooner, the better too." Jo grinned at her, not trusting herself to be able to force any words past the lump which had formed in her throat.


	35. Epilogue

**Epilogue – 4 months later**

"Sam, are you nearly ready?" Jo entered the bedroom, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of her partner, encased in a stunning strapless burgundy dress and with hair twisted up the back of her head, held in place by a single red rose, examining herself hypercritically in front of the full length mirror. "Honey, you look amazing."

"I don't feel amazing!" Sam gulped nervously, watching Jo approach in the mirror, admiring the cut of Jo's tailored iridescent charcoal trouser suit. "I feel like my entire insides are upside down and determined to part company with my body at any moment."

"It's not too late if you're having second thoughts." Jo informed her, eyes downcast but determined not to put any pressure on Sam, absentmindedly resting her hands on Sam's hips.

Sam reached for Jo's hands, pulling them around her waist until they settled on her abdomen, covering them with her own. "No second thoughts, no cold feet, just nervous as hell that I'm about get married to you and afraid I'll let you down. You're more than I ever dreamed I'd find in a partner, I only hope that I can give you everything you want and need as your wife." Jo felt the familiar stirrings of arousal as Sam leaned back into the embrace she had created, the sight of Sam in her simple A-line, off the shoulder, strapless burgundy dress one she knew would be forever etched into her memory.

"Believe me Sam, you have nothing to fear; you already give me everything I could ever want and more besides. If anyone should be afraid, it's me – you're far more than I ever dared hope for in a lover and here you are about to commit to being my wife. I'm terrified that I'm going to wake up and find this has all been a dream." Sam gently pinched the back of one of Jo's hands, indicating to her that it was indeed very real. The petite blonde rested her head back on Jo's shoulder as she gazed at their reflection in the chrome mirror, marvelling at how well they fitted together and how right she felt in Jo's arms.

"Promise me that tonight you'll make love to me in front of this mirror? I want to watch your hands, to watch you…" Sam left her thoughts unspoken, feeling a tremor course through Jo's body behind her, seeing the hungry desire flash in her eyes.

"Easy tiger or we won't make it to the ceremony at all!" Jo winked with a grin, leaning forward to whisper in Sam's ear, "I promise to drive you wild right here tonight as I make love to my beautiful, sexy, irresistible wife. I promise to do things to you, to take you places, you've only ever dreamt about!" Sam felt her knees weaken in the wake of Jo's husky, heartfelt, lust-laden promises, a bolt of molten liquid arousal charging through her core. "Now let me go and let's get married before I lose all self-control and ravish you senseless right here, right now!"

* * *

"That was a beautiful service. Congratulations to both of you." Ramani gushed, sweeping both women up into a brief warm hug before swiftly moving on to allow others to congratulate the happy couple, dragging a smitten Terry haplessly in her wake. 

"Lovely ceremony, I hope you're both very happy together. After everything you've been through, you deserve some happiness at the very least. We had a bit of a whip round for you at the station." Jack handed over the envelope containing the vouchers totalling £400 from their closest colleagues at Sun Hill, a testament to how popular they both were.

"Just tell me he's never coming out again Jack, that's the best present you could ever give to me." Sam searched the DCI's face for any sign of the verdict following Hugh's sentencing hearing.

"The judge added on two years for absconding from prison. He also received three life sentences to run consecutively for the murders of Ciaran O'Rourke, Sandra Carmichael and Andrew Lawson, the private detective he'd hired to follow Abigail and whose body was found next to Zain in the lockup. And if that wasn't enough to make sure he's never setting foot outside of prison again, he also got seven years for each of the attempted murders of Zain and Robert McAdam, the prison officer who helped him escape. The judge made it clear that he won't ever be considered for parole because of the seriousness of the crimes he's committed and his disregard for the value of human life. He's being transported to Durham as we speak. Now forget about him and enjoy your day, both of you. You're not to even think about work for the next two weeks." Jack shook hands with both women before moving into the reception room and allowing the happy couple to continue accepting the congratulations of all their guests.

* * *

The wedding breakfast passed smoothly and before both women knew it, the time had come for speeches. Jo suddenly questioned the wisdom of choosing Gary as her best man, watching the conspiratorial glance passing between him and Phil Hunter and inwardly groaning, wondering if the content of his speech would need to be censored given the presence of her parents. She was eager to get this part of the day over with so that she could unleash her surprise on Sam, knowing the blonde had no idea of what was to come. She took a nervous swig from her glass of water, reaching for her new wife's hand and squeezing it tenderly as Gary rose to his feet, clinking a spoon against his wine glass to capture everyone's attention. 

"I'd like to start by thanking all of you who've turned out to support Jo and Sam today. I'd also like to thank Abi for doing such a sterling job as bridesmaid and helping to organise all this. When Jo first asked me to be her best man, I thought is she insane? After all, I am well known for my uncanny ability to put my foot in my mouth every time I open it. And looking at her expression now, I'm sure she's asking herself the same thing. But she assured me at the time she was of sound mind and looking at the picture of perfection she and Sam cut today, who am I to argue? Jo has been lucky enough to find the one thing that we all search for in life; her soul-mate, the one person she's meant to be with above all others. It's not been an easy journey for either Sam or Jo, there've been many times along the way when it looked likely we'd never see this day. I for one am thankful that I'm able to share in their happiness. They truly are remarkable women and I think it's safe to say I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Jo. She has an altruistic spirit that's rarely genuine and will stop at nothing to make this a better world for both those she cares about and those she doesn't know." Gary smiled fondly at his friend, hands shaking with nerves even as he spoke clearly and confidently. "I asked all her current colleagues to describe Jo in one word for me and there were a few that kept cropping up time and again… as well as some that are best kept between myself and Phil Hunter." There was a ripple of laughter throughout the room, all eyes falling on Phil who grinned cheekily and shrugged with a wink in Jo's direction. "Everyone agrees that Jo is a passionate, dedicated and dependable woman. And I would say she's found her equal in Sam, who is every bit as passionate, dedicated and dependable as Jo. I asked if either of them had changed since becoming a couple and was surprised to hear that very definitely yes, they both have – but I'm assured it's only for the better. I doubt you'll ever see a couple so perfectly suited to one another, so in tune with the other's thoughts and feelings that no words are needed for them to communicate. I'd like you all to raise your glasses and join me in a toast," Gary paused waiting for the rustle to die down as everyone reached for their Champagne flutes, before raising his own glass high. "To Jo and Sam, may every day be filled with happiness and may you always cherish the joy you bring one another."

"To Jo and Sam," was the murmured response around the intimate reception room. Gary retook his seat, swigging thirstily from his pint and loosening the burgundy tie which felt like it was choking him. Jo leaned across and planted a peck on his cheek, tears brimming in her eyes in the wake of his kind speech.

"Thank you," she whispered sincerely. Further conversation was halted as Jo's father rose to his feet, clearing his throat and attracting the attention of the gathered crowd.

"It's customary at these such events for the father of the bride to say a few words, and even though this might not be your typical wedding, there are some traditions I'd like to uphold. Now I'd like to think I know my daughter pretty well, I've been there with her through the good times and the not so good and I can safely say that without a doubt, I have never seen her so happy, so settled as she has been since she became involved with Sam. When Jo first told me that she could never give me the white wedding a father always dreams of for his daughter, my heart sank. As a parent, your one wish in life is for you children to be happy and at the time I thought Jo was setting herself up for a life of disappointments and heartache. Throughout the years, I've come to accept that I was wrong and I've told her so on many occasions. Well Jo, today's the day you get to admit to me, finally, that you too were wrong – you have given me the wedding I always wanted for you, the wedding where I get to hand you over to the one person who means more to you than anybody else and I couldn't be happier." Jo grinned ruefully at her father, conceding his point, remembering the painful conversation they had had when she was just a teenager as clearly as if happened only yesterday. "Sam, I know parents sadly can't be with us today, but I hope that you know Alice and I are just as much your parents as we are Jo's now. You have given to us the greatest gift of all – our daughter's happiness – and for that, we will be eternally grateful. Welcome to the family sweetheart and may your union be forever blessed. So, if you could all raise your glasses once again, I'd like to raise my own toast: to Jo and Sam, may today be just the beginning of your endless happy days together." Everyone gathered in the room repeated the toast, Sam growing a little suspicious as Jo exchanged a look with Abi who casually slipped out of the room. Taking another nervous swig from her water, Jo climbed to her feet, legs shaking as she mentally chanted 'please let my voice hold out long enough to do this!'

"Well, thank you Gary and Dad for those… lovely speeches, it's great to know that our happiness is that evident to other people." Jo swallowed nervously, feeling her stomach tie itself in fresh knots as Abi slipped back into the room. It was all Jo could do not to bolt for the door, sweat dampening her palms as she contemplated the truth of Gary's statement about her sanity. "I err… I wanted to surprise Sam today, to do something truly unique for her as a thank you for agreeing to share her life with me so if you'll all just bear with me for a few minutes…" Jo's words trailed off as faints strains of music drifted into the room and she turned to Sam, the first words of her song immediately bearing true.

"_Every time I look at you the world just melts away_

_All my troubles, all my fears dissolve in your affections_

_You've seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am_

_And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land._

_You stay the course, you hold the line, you keep it all together_

_You're the one true thing I know I can believe in_

_You're all the things that I desire, you save me, you complete me_

_You're the one true thing I know I can believe._

_I get mad so easy but you give me room to breathe_

_No matter what I say or do 'cause you're too good to fight about it,_

_Even when I have to push just to see how far you'll go_

_You won't stoop down to battle but you never turn to go_

_You stay the course, you hold the line, you keep it all together_

_You're the one true thing I know I can believe in_

_You're all the things that I desire, you save me, you complete me_

_You're the one true thing I know I can believe._

_Your love is just the antidote, nothing else can cure me_

_There are times I can't decide, when I can't tell up from down_

_You make me feel less crazy, otherwise I'd drown_

_But you pick me up and brush me off and tell me I'm ok_

_Sometimes that just what we need to get us through the day._

_You stay the course, you hold the line, you keep it all together_

_You're the one true thing I know I can believe in_

_You're all the things that I desire, you save me, you complete me_

_You're the one true thing I know I can believe."_

_**Lyrics from 'Push' by Sarah McLachlan**_

Jo held Sam's gaze as the final notes faded, her cheeks burning, no one in the room moving for long moments, not wishing to be the first to break the mood created by Jo's heartfelt singing. As the silence dragged on, Jo smiled nervously at her wife, willing her to do or say something. Sam bit her top lip, trying to stop the quiver which had set in shortly after Jo turned to her and began serenading her. The tears in her eyes betrayed how deeply the gesture had moved her. In an instant, she rose to her feet pulling Jo to her and crushing her lips against Jo's trembling own. As they drew apart, rapturous applause erupted from their family and friends. Sam cradled Jo's cheek in the palm of one hand, gazing intently into her blue/brown eyes.

"That was incredible. You never fail to amaze me. What did I ever do to deserve you?" Jo pulled Sam towards her once again, wrapping her up in a warm hug before leading her over to the table holding their cake.

* * *

The party began to wind down shortly after midnight, with many guests having to get up early for work the following day. Sam insisted before everyone left that she had to uphold another wedding day tradition and toss her bouquet. She climbed the first two steps on the staircase in the lobby of the hotel, the remaining guests gathering in a huddle behind her in readiness to dive on the posy of flowers she clutched in her hands. Glancing over her shoulder once to check how far she'd have to throw, Sam casually tossed the delicate blooms over one shoulder, spinning as she heard the squeals of delight from her colleagues and friends when the flowers landed squarely in a flustered Ramani's hands. Jo winked at Terry who looked as though he was about to bolt while Sam grinned mischievously at Ramani, giving rise to the suggestion that fate had had a helping hand. 

"Now if you good people don't mind, I'm going to take my wife upstairs!" Sam chuckled at the expressions produced by Jo's off the cuff comment. Desire ignited in her core as Jo leaned closer, placing a tender peck on her cheek before whispering in her ear, "I do believe I have a promise to uphold."

"We'll see you all in a couple of weeks, try not to burn the station down before we get back ok?" Sam warned before slipping her arm through Jo's and allowing herself to be escorted up to their hotel room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Jo pinned Sam up against the wall, kissing her passionately betraying the hunger that had been steadily building within her since early that day. Sam returned the kiss equally as hungrily, feasting on Jo as though her life depended on it, clawing at the suit jacket and blouse beneath in her desperation to feel her wife's skin. The taller brunette lowered her head, kissing, nipping and sucking at the exposed skin along Sam's shoulders and collarbone, teasing her tongue into the tiny hollow at the base of the petite blonde's throat, relishing in the moan she felt vibrating against her lips. Sam's hand found its way inside Jo's clothing, reaching between them to cup and squeeze Jo's ample breast, wetness pooling between her thighs as her wife's nipple hardened instantly, pressing against her palm.

"Let's move this while I can still walk." Jo murmured, shrugging out of her jacket as she pushed off the wall, throwing the discarded garment to the ground before encircling Sam's waist and drawing her bodily into the main area of their room until they were standing at the foot of the luxurious king-sized bed opposite the full length mirrored wardrobe doors. Sam willingly followed, feeling increasingly drunk and light-headed as she stared into the blue/brown eyes mere inches away from her own, burning with raw lust. Jo reached for the zipper that was holding Sam's dress up, slowly teasing the fastener down, deliberately allowing her fingertips to graze the sensitive flesh beneath. Instinctively, the women drew together, mouths battling for supremacy as Sam's dress fell in a maroon puddle around her ankles, tongues duelling in a timeless dance which left both of them gasping for air.

"You have far too many clothes on!" Sam growled, her voice dropping a whole octave as she eyed Jo like a predator watches its prey, her hunger and intention written plainly on her face. Jo shivered as nimble fingers danced over the buttons of her simple white blouse, popping each one out of its fastening skilfully, occasionally brushing the soft mound of a breast or the toned plane of her stomach in the process, each movement designed to feed the desire that was palpable between them. Jo returned the attention, releasing Sam's breasts from her strapless bra, her mouth descending as soon as the smooth pliable flesh was free from its confines. She rolled Sam's rock hard nipple between her teeth gently before laving it generously with her tongue to sooth the sensitive flesh, switching between the two so neither felt left out. Sam leant back to give Jo better access, happy for a moment just to receive the attention, her own hands stilling their exploration, resting lightly on her wife's hips for support. Jo continued kissing her way down Sam's pert body, taking time to kiss and caress every inch reverently, breathing in the unmistakable scent that was the essence of Sam. The buxom brunette eased Sam's stockings off her smooth legs, swiftly followed by her black lacy knickers, leaving the petite blonde resplendently naked, a thin sheen of sweat her only covering.

"Turn to face the mirror, baby." Jo implored as she rose back to her feet, hurriedly shedding the remainder of her clothing, knowing that they were both too much in need of release for much further teasing. Sam complied wordlessly, her eyes conveying far more than words would ever achieve. Her expression was heavy-lidded, the fire burning within her ice blue eyes speaking of her passion, as she watched Jo approach her from behind. It took all of her self control not to close her eyes in ecstasy as she watched her wife's mouth descend onto the soft skin of her shoulder, suckling gently up towards her ear as Jo's right hand began to wander over the smooth expanse of skin on Sam's stomach upwards until it was cupping Sam's breast tenderly. The feel of Jo's hands on her combined with the sight that greeted her in the mirror renewed the flood from Sam's core, her juices seeping out and coating her thighs liberally, despite Jo having barely touched her.

"Oh God, Jo, do you have any idea what you do to me?" Sam panted, already breathless, her head falling back onto Jo's shoulder as her right breast was massaged and kneaded. Jo squeezed Sam's hip with her left hand.

"Keep watching sweetheart, see for yourself how amazing you look, how hot you are." Jo urged Sam's head upright once more pausing only briefly before she slipped her left hand towards the neat triangle of hair at the apex of Sam's thighs. She could feel the indescribable heat emanating long moments before she reached her destination, Sam wriggling slightly under the feather-light caresses Jo was administering en route. Pulling their bodies as close together as physics would allow, Jo placed her own feet inside Sam's nudging her legs apart and willing her to open herself up completely. The buxom brunette's fingers edged ever closer to Sam's drenched lips, the blonde woman writhing in Jo's embrace as she ached for more, the sensual assault on her breast never-ending. Jo slid her fingers into the waiting, wet, warmth, sighing with ecstasy as she felt how ready Sam was for her and feeling her own arousal piqued. The sight of her hands wandering at will over Sam's tormented body was sending slivers of desire coursing through her veins with each and every heartbeat, her pulse quickening and mouth going dry as all moisture gathered elsewhere. As her own desire grew, Jo fought down the baser instincts within her, the instincts which screamed at her to take Sam hard and fast, wanting to prolong the ecstasy for them both but knowing it would not take much for Sam to topple over the edge of the precipice on which she was teetering. She began to guide her fingers into Sam, pumping deep within her in a steady rhythm, curling her fingers to tease the sensitive ridge of flesh inside Sam's sopping core. She felt the body in her arms stiffen, Sam's breaths coming in short gasps, quiet mewling noises echoing in the quiet night air. "There's one vow I couldn't make at the service today, one that I had to keep, just for this moment." Jo whispered into her new wife's ear, feeling the trembling build within her, muscles flexing tentatively in readiness around her entombed fingers. "I promise you that each and every day of our lives, I will do everything in my power to give you the best orgasm of your life." Jo pressed her thumb down hard on Sam's twitching nub as she completed her vow, pressing a kiss into the edge of Sam's jaw just beneath her ear and holding her tightly as the woman she adored with her very soul bucked in her arms, riding the waves of her most intense and powerful orgasm ever. Sam's legs crumpled beneath her, Jo swiftly catching the falling woman and carrying her the short distance to the bed, laying her down gently on the covers before stretching out beside her and kissing her leisurely.

"I think you might have to go some way to beat that one, sweetheart!" Sam grinned as she recovered enough breath to speak. Instantly, she sprung to life, rolling over with Jo until she was straddling her thighs, kissing her way down Jo's body with only one goal in mind, and only a short detour via her wife's ample breasts. Sam guided Jo's knees over her own shoulders, wrapping one arm around each toned thigh, fingertips teasing the quivering flesh she found there. Wasting no time, Sam dipped her head, pushing just the very tip of her tongue between Jo's slick, juice coated lips, teasing the other woman mercilessly and grinning as Jo arched her hips bearing down to try and prolong or deepen the exquisite contact. Placing one hand on each hip, Sam held Jo down on the bed, making it clear she would go at her own pace. She was rewarded with a throaty moan, Jo's right hand clenching the duvet cover tightly while her left strayed towards her own breast. The sight left Sam's mouth dry, her concentration momentarily totally absorbed by the sight of Jo tweaking and rolling her nipple between her own thumb and forefinger. Swallowing thickly, she forced herself to lower her head, ignoring the pulling sensation in her own loins, and began to lap at Jo's freely flowing juices. She let her tongue swirl around Jo's opening, offering hints of what was to come before suddenly plunging her strong muscle deep within her wife, withdrawing momentarily before replacing her tongue with two fingers, building a furious rhythm which Jo matched feverishly, her need extreme and imminent. Sensing that the brunette could wait no longer, Sam fastened her lips around Jo's clit, drawing it into her mouth and suckling on it for all she was worth. Sam's name was ripped in a hoarse cry from Jo's throat as she climaxed, Sam's body spasming along with her wife's, the sheer sight and sound of Jo's orgasm bringing another release of Sam's own. The exhausted blonde hauled herself up to the pillows kissing Jo briefly before settling her head in the crook of her shoulder and curling into her side, wrapping one arm protectively across the narrow waist of her wife. Jo smiled contentedly as she felt Sam settle beside her.

"'Night Mrs Nixon-Masters." Jo whispered, feeling her grin broaden.

"'Night Mrs Masters-Nixon." Sam replied, kissing Jo's collarbone once more before drifting into a slumber.

* * *

"Now you two behave whilst we're away ok? No wild parties!" Sam joked with Abi and Gary as they said their goodbyes at the hotel. 

"Aw shucks, there goes the plan for the record breaking two week rave then!" Gary rejoined, earning him a playful punch from Abi.

"Gary, you weren't supposed to let that slip!" She admonished him teasingly, rubbing his arm where she had punched it as he pouted in mock pain. Their relationship had bloomed following his heroics with Hugh, so much so that he had moved back to London to be with Abi and to try and provide a stable home for Joey. Sam and Jo watched the exchange, both with wide smiles on their faces, each pleased to see Abi and Gary so happy together.

"Seriously, take it easy, you know there's no rush for you to find your own place. You'll always be welcome for as long as you want to stay at home." Sam addressed her daughter seriously.

"Actually Mum, we've got some news on that front. Our need for a place of our own just got a little more pressing." Abi paused, waiting to see if the penny would drop or if she would have to spell out her news for her mother. When Sam continued to look at her quizzically, Abi reached for Gary's hand and smiling, announced, "you're both going to be becoming grandma's again and Joey's going to have a baby brother or sister. Gary and I are having a baby!"

The End…. ?

**Well folks, thanks for sticking with this story and continuing to give me your feedback. I hope you all enjoyed and whilst I do have an idea to follow Jo and Sam on their honeymoon in Vegas, I might have to see how work commitments pan out as to how soon I can post it. But as ever, keep watching this space cos whilst there's life in these fingers and my muse is willing, I'll keep endeavouring to bring on the JAM!**


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